Monroe officer shot on the job receives warm welcome back to work

MONROE, N.C. — A Monroe police officer shot in the line of duty was welcomed back to work Monday morning.

Madison Sweatt, 25, was shot three times in the line of duty on May 31 during a traffic stop.

Monroe Police say 18-year-old Joshua Sikes got out of a car and fired an assault rifle at police.

One bullet went in and out, another grazed her head, and one is still lodged in her shoulder. She is set to have surgery to remove the bullet in her shoulder on Tuesday.

Since then, the officer has been on a journey of recovery.

Fellow officers say her resilience has inspired them all.

“Her strength and resilience has inspired all of us,” Chief of Police Rhett Bolen said. “We are grateful to have her back with our team and thankful for the outpouring of community support during her recovery.”

Channel 9’s Eli Brand spoke with friends of her family as she walked back through the department’s front doors.

To honor her return, she was escorted to the department by a fellow officer. Members of the community joined in the Monroe Police Department parking lot to welcome her back and show their support.

“With my son being a Union County Deputy, I know that what happened to Madison is a parent’s worst nightmare when you have a child in this field,” Sherri Honeycutt, a friend of Sweatt’s family, said.

Phyla Smith says she goes to church with Sweatt. She says Sweatt’s strength shone through even on the morning of the shooting when she got to visit her right after she was rushed to the hospital.

“I was just able to see her smile, even then she was smiling,” Smith said. “I gave her a hug.”

Fellow officers said seeing her return was surreal.

“I had chills when she got out of the car. I’m so grateful that she’s here,” Morgan Malone, with Monroe Police, said. “She’s such a positive ray of sunshine anyway so it’s just a great day.”

The car Sweatt was in was left in the parking lot of the police department for weeks.

Monroe’s chief says he wanted it there so the community could see how close Sweatt came to being killed and how brave she truly is.

“She’s excited. She wants to be back out there in the field,” Smith said. “Not behind a desk, but that will come.”

Sikes was killed in a shootout with police after he opened fire on Sweatt. He is also accused of killing a father in Monroe hours earlier.

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