Updated: 12:15 p.m.
Mooresville Police and the community are mourning the death of 32-year old K-9 officer Jordan Harris Sheldon. Police say Sheldon was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop on West Plaza Drive around 10 p.m. Saturday night.
At a news conference Sunday, Mooresville Police Chief Damon Williams identified the suspect in the shooting as Michael Aldana, 28. Williams said at some point during the traffic stop, "shots were fired and officer Sheldon was struck." Sheldon was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Williams said Aldana fled the scene and was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at an apartment.
Aldana was known to police, Williams said, but there hadn't been any "violence issues." No details have been released as to what led him to be pulled over or happened before Sheldon was shot. The motive remains unclear.
Williams said "there are no words" to describe how his department is mourning the sudden loss of an officer.
"We have a lot of questions, of course. We're angry. We're hurt. We're sad. There's a roller coaster of emotions that we're dealing with this morning," Williams said.
Mooresville Mayor Miles Atkins said the community is also feeling the loss.
"This isn’t a number for us. This is a real person. We’re heartbroken. The pain and sorrow we feel — I can’t express it," he said.
Both the chief and the mayor asked the community to support the police department as officers and staff move forward into their weeks.
"Show your officers you love them cause we’re gonna need it," Williams said.
Sheldon served with the Mooresville Police Department for six years.
Willams said Sheldon was wearing a body camera at the time of the shooting. The State Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Mooresville Police Department in its investigation.
