Three individuals have been apprehended in relation to the tragic death of an off-duty police sergeant who attempted to intervene after witnessing them commit a crime, according to authorities. On Saturday at approximately 4 p.m., Sergeant Phillip Dale Nix of the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) was shot at a Sheetz convenience store and gas station. Despite the immediate aid provided by another off-duty officer and a paramedic at the scene, Sgt. Nix was transported to a hospital where he sadly succumbed to his injuries. The suspects facing charges are identified as Jamere Justice Foster (18), Z’quriah Le’Pearce Blackwell (18), and John Walter Morrison (28). While the GPD has not disclosed the specific nature of the alleged crime committed by the suspects prior to the confrontation, warrants obtained by local FOX affiliate WGHP-TV indicate that Foster is accused of stealing over $83 worth of beer.
Foster has been charged with first-degree murder, larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny. He is currently being held without bond, as announced by the police through a social media post. Blackwell, on the other hand, faces charges of being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and is being held with a bond set at $500,000. Morrison is also charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, as well as larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny. He is currently being held without bond.
Sgt. Nix dedicated 23 years of his life to serving the city of Greensboro and was regarded as a loving husband, father, son, and brother. His most recent roles within the GPD included serving as the supervisor of the Family Victims Unit and assistant team leader of the GPD Honor Guard. In this difficult time, the department has requested that the family’s privacy be respected, and information regarding donations to the family will be shared on their social media platforms in the upcoming days.
The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges being brought forth. As the community mourns the loss of Sgt. Nix, the city of Greensboro and the police department are determined to seek justice for their fallen comrade.
