On Friday, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department added another name to the Fallen Officers memorial: Joshua Eyer. 

Eyer and three members of a U.S. Marshals Service task force, Tommy Weeks, Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott, were shot while trying to arrest a wanted man April 29. The city has mourned the officers since the shooting 18 days ago with four funerals. Friday morning's event is part of National Police Week.

At the Fallen Officers memorial, a black square covered the new inscription for Eyer, joining the names of other CMPD officers killed in the line of duty. 

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings laid a wreath at the memorial and led a procession of police to the First Baptist Church on Davidson Street.

"When you see the tragedy that happened just a few weeks ago, you have to relive your own tragedy," Jennings said at the church. "It is a reminder of what we do every single day that we put that uniform on."

"Everyone that responded to that scene on April 29 would tell you they would do it all over again and they wouldn’t hesitate again," he said.

"We know the dangers, we talk about it all the time," the police chief said. "When things like this happen, it’s a stark reminder of reality." 

Eyer, 31, left behind a wife and three-year-old son. He was remembered as a family man at his funeral.

The police department had named Eyer employee of the month in April before he was killed. 

The April 29 shooting was the deadliest attack on law enforcement in the United States since 2016, according to the Associated Press. 

The attack happened as members of a joint U.S. Marshals Service task force tried to serve a warrant on a suspect for possession of a firearm by a felon. The man began shooting at officers in front of the home, and he was also killed in the shootout.

Eyer had been with CMPD for six years before he was gunned down. 

“Just a few weeks ago I’m shaking his hand congratulating him for being officer of the month in our command center. And that’s because of his work in the community, because of his work getting guns off the street and because of how he responds to his cases and how he treats people," Jennings said at a news conference after the shooting.

“As he demonstrated yesterday, he’s the kind of officer you want to respond when you need help. He was rushing in to help a task force officer when he was taken on by gunfire," the police chief said.

Eyer also served with the North Carolina Army National Guard from 2011 until 2023, mostly as military police, according to the AP.

Elliot has been with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections for 14 years, most recently with the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force. That role brought him to the scene on April 29.

“They loved their work, and were passionate about their roles in protecting our communities,” Todd Ishee, secretary of the Department of Adult Corrections, said in a news release. “These officers died as heroes and made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to our state. We remember them, we honor their service, we send our deepest condolences to their families and friends, and we pray for healing for all affected by this tragic incident.”

Elliot, 46, is survived by his wife and son. 

In a tribute posted online, Elliot's son remembered his father for their shared time playing video games and Pokemon.

"My daddy is a hero.

"He died getting the bad guys, that’s what he was good at.

"He is a Marine.

"He is a Police Officer.

"He is kind and patient.

"He keeps my mom and I safe.

"He is my daddy; the best daddy."

Poloche was also with the state Department of Adult Corrections for 14 years and was assigned to the fugitive task force. 

He left behind a wife and two children.

Poloche, 42, was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Rockingham, head elder Milton Aguilar told the AP.

“He had a heart for community,” Aguilar said. “It’s really unfortunate to see how abruptly his life ended here.”

Poloche wanted to help community members of all backgrounds, he said, according to AP.

“He said that’s because he sees these people are recently out of jail,” Aguilar said. “How can we, as a church, be more helpful to these people that are coming out and just don’t have anywhere to go?”

Weeks, 48, served with the U.S. Marshals Service for 13 years. He leaves behind a wife and four children.

“I’m humbled by all the people here, and Tommy would be humbled by the fact that we’re in a hockey arena,” Week's wife Kelly said at his funeral. 

“So many people have referred to him as a hero, but before this tragedy, he was already a hero to me and our family,” she said.

She said she hoped her husband's death can help inspire people to lift up law enforcement.

“What can we do? How can we help? What do you need? Tommy’s mission in life was to make the world safer and fight for justice, so what do I need? I need this country to come together to support our law enforcement officers so they can continue to fight for justice like my husband did every day,” she said.

“To my husband, I will love you forever, my very sweet man.”