Following the recent officer-involved shooting in Charlotte's Westover Division, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has disclosed the identities of the involved personnel. The officers, who reportedly felt an imminent deadly threat and subsequently discharged their weapons, have been named as Officer Ryan Alberts, Officer Ellis Wilcox, and Officer Lucas Jayne, all of whom are assigned to the Steele Creek Division. The incident led to Erik Lopez Hernandez, a 21-year-old man, sustaining injuries for which he has since been treated and released.
In light of the discharge in fear for their lives, details emerged in a report by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department naming the officers involved. Alberts has been with the CMPD since October 2021, sharing the same starting date with Wilcox. The third officer, Jayne, joined the division more recently, in January 2023. Their experience ranging just over a year to barely over two months brings into question the quick judgment they were compelled to make in a life-threatening scenario.
As reported by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Hernandez has been charged with Attempted Murder on a Law Enforcement Officer and Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill. Upon his discharge from the hospital, Hernandez was transferred into the care of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. The consequences of the altercation between Hernandez and law enforcement have now shifted from the hospital bed to the courtrooms, where interpretations of law and order will be laid bare against the grain of justice.
The case remains under active investigation, with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) or CMPD’s Public Affairs Division expected to release additional information as it develops. Community members holding knowledge pertinent to the incident are being encouraged by authorities, released from the hospital, Hernandez is facing serious charges, to come forward with any information. Charlotte Crime Stoppers also offers a platform for anonymous tips and leads that can be crucial in understanding the circumstances that led to gunfire erupting on the streets.
For those looking to contribute information about the case, the department has made it clear that every piece can be critical in the ongoing investigation. Calls can be directed to a dedicated TIPS number at 704-432-8477, or for those choosing to remain unidentified, Charlotte Crime Stoppers can be reached at 704-334-1600. As the city waits on edge for more to surface on the incident, the report bearing number 20250211-0132-00 serves as a reference for the events that unfolded on that day.
