GREENSBORO, N.C. – An off-duty police sergeant was fatally shot while intervening in a convenience store robbery, leaving the community in shock. The incident occurred at a Sheetz on Sandy Ridge Road in Greensboro, N.C., where Sergeant Philip Dale Nix confronted three suspects shoplifting beer worth $83.45.
Nix, who had served the department and the community for 22 years, was allegedly gunned down by 18-year-old Jamere Justice Foster and died in the hospital despite efforts to save him. The tragic incident has sparked mourning and outrage among city officials and residents.
Foster has been charged with felony first-degree murder, misdemeanor larceny, and conspiracy, while 28-year-old John Walter Morrison faces charges of misdemeanor larceny, conspiracy, and felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Eighteen-year-old Zquriah Lepearce Blackwell has also been charged with felony accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan described the shooting as a “senseless act of violence,” expressing her anger and sadness. Nix, who was the supervisor of the Family Victims Unit, came from a family of police officers, deepening the tragedy for his loved ones and colleagues.
The loss of Sergeant Nix has left the Greensboro community in mourning, calling for justice and a renewed commitment to public safety. The investigation into the incident continues as the city grapples with the repercussions of the tragic event.