Monroe Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday night in the 200 block of Alda Drive, a quiet residential street in Monroe. Police say no officers were injured and there is no threat to the public at this time, but they have not released any additional details about what led to the shooting or whether anyone else was hurt.
The shooting occurred near Richardson Street in a residential stretch of the city, according to WCNC, which reported the block sits near Walkup Avenue. City of Monroe records describe Alda Drive as a 25 mph residential street connecting Walkup Avenue and Ashcraft Avenue, lined mostly with single-family homes. As of Sunday night, WSOC-TV reported that the investigation remained a developing story, with police withholding word on what led up to the gunfire.
Monroe Police is led by Chief William “Rhett” Bolen, a 20-year veteran of the department and former Special Response Team commander who took over as chief in April 2025, succeeding longtime chief J. Bryan Gilliard after serving as assistant chief, per the same account. The department, headquartered at 450 W. Crowell Street, operates with more than 100 sworn officers and support staff and holds national Advanced Law Enforcement Accreditation through CALEA.
A Department Still Marked by Last Year's Shootout
Sunday's incident comes roughly a year after Monroe Police Officer Madison Sweatt returned to duty following a May 31, 2025, traffic stop in which she was shot multiple times before department tactical officers fatally shot 19-year-old suspect Joshua Hayden Sikes in a return-fire exchange, according to Police Magazine. That 2025 gun battle followed a vehicle pursuit and a multi-agency manhunt. It remains the most severe recent line-of-duty shooting tied to the department as it now faces scrutiny over Sunday's incident.
Elsewhere in the region, state investigators were called in after a Union County Sheriff's deputy shot a suspect during a domestic disturbance response on Canary Court in Wingate in August 2025, when deputies reportedly entered the residence after hearing a struggle over a firearm, per WSOC-TV. Union County has also faced financial consequences tied to deadly force cases: the county agreed in September 2025 to pay a $3.25 million settlement over the 2022 fatal shooting of Malcolm Staton by a sheriff's deputy during a gas station traffic stop, a lawsuit that alleged deputies fired recklessly into a vehicle carrying innocent passengers.
What Happens Next: SBI Review and Body-Camera Secrecy
Under North Carolina General Statutes § 143B-917, the State Bureau of Investigation does not automatically take jurisdiction over police shootings, but it is routinely called in by local chiefs or district attorneys to conduct an independent criminal review, according to a report compiled by NC Health News. Parallel internal affairs investigations typically run at the same time to evaluate whether department policy was followed. Statewide SBI data cited in that same report found that out of roughly 468 officer-involved shooting investigations between 2010 and 2020, local district attorneys sought criminal charges against officers in only four cases.
Any body-worn or dashboard camera footage from Sunday's shooting is unlikely to surface quickly. Under North Carolina General Statute § 132-1.4A, such footage is classified as non-public record material and can only be released through a superior court judge's order, according to the NC Criminal Law Blog. Media outlets and involved parties must formally petition the court to obtain copies.
For now, the identity of the person shot, their medical condition, the officer or officers involved, and the exact circumstances that led to gunfire on Alda Drive remain unknown. Monroe Police have not said whether they will request an SBI review or whether a petition will be filed seeking release of any camera footage. Hoodline has covered a string of recent Monroe Police cases, including a overnight prowler hunt in Hilton Meadows, and will update this story as police release more information.
