The tragic murders of four law enforcement officers this week in Charlotte have left four families broken and have been a sobering reminder of the incredible danger public service can sometimes carry.

Two of the fallen officers – Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott – were state employees and members of the Special Operations and Intelligence Unit of the N.C. Department of Adult Correction. Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Joshua Eyer also died in the attack.

Services

A Celebration of Life Service for Elliott will be held Thursday, May 9, at 6 p.m., at Catawba Valley Community College - Tarlton Complex in Hickory. Read his obituary here.

Service information for Poloche has not yet been announced.

Poloche was remembered in the Charlotte Observer as a dedicated family man who always wanted to serve his country. Elliott's son Theo wrote a poem to honor his father, whom he called his hero.

The procession honoring Elliott was held Thursday from Charlotte to his hometown of Newton. The procession honoring Poloche traveled from the Medical Examiner's Office in Charlotte to Forest Lawn West Funeral Service in Charlotte on Friday beginning at 3 p.m.

Letters or cards of condolence may be sent to the Special Operations and Intelligence Unit office, and they will be delivered to the Elliott and Poloche families:

Family of William "Alden" Elliott / Family of Samuel "Sam" Poloche

NCDAC SOIU

c/o Drew Stanley

4251 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-4251

Donations

The Elliott family requests that donations to an account set up for son Theo's benefit be made instead of flowers. Checks or money orders may be made payable to "Edward Jones for the benefit of Theo James Elliott" and mailed to:

Edward Jones

3500 Westgate Drive

Suite 301

Durham, NC 27707

The NC Probation/Parole Association and the N.C. Correctional Association have set up a GoFundMe account to benefit the Elliott and Poloche families. Contributions may be made here.

Back the Blue has established a GoFundMe account to benefit the families of all four fallen officers. Contributions may be made here.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police has established a fundraiser to benefit the families of the four fallen officers. Contributions may be made here.