CHARLOTTE — Atrium Health held its third annual Honoring First Responders Blood Drive in Charlotte Wednesday — two years since the deadliest day in Charlotte law enforcement history.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Joshua Eyer, investigators Alden Elliot and Sam Poloche, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Tommy Weeks were killed in an ambush in east Charlotte on April 29, 2024.
The officers were serving a warrant at a home on Galway Drive when the suspect opened fire. The suspect was killed.
Four other law enforcement officers, including two with CMPD, one with the Statesville Police Department and another agent with the task force were also wounded in the shooting.
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“That day was challenging and emotional,” Ally Alfaro, a registered nurse, said at Wednesday’s event. “This is something that I and my teammates can directly do to impact our future patients.”
Last year, more than 150 donations were collected. Each one was able to help save up to three lives, impacting hundreds of people.
For Kimberly Barnes, donating blood is about turning remembrance into action.
“Just to know that you are contributing and helping someone that really may need it,” she told Channel 9’s Miana Massey. “I think it’s just a way to give back and to let them know they are not forgotten and that we still remember.”
Organizers say every donation helps keep critical blood supply ready while giving the community a meaningful way to give back.