Charlotte Police Department, North Carolina
End of Watch: Thursday, July 1, 1982
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 30, 1982
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Patrol Officer Ernest Coleman was shot and killed while working a uniformed off-duty security detail at a local convenience store at 1401 Oaklawn Avenue in Charlotte at 7:30 pm. He was shot by a man he had ejected from the store earlier in the evening for being rowdy.
He was transported to the Charlotte Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds five hours later.
The 24-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on March 2, 1983.
Officer Coleman had served with the Charlotte Police Department for 18 months. He was survived by his three children.