Off-duty police officer killed after witnessing crime at gas station

The police sergeant had worked for the Greensboro department for 23 years

An off-duty police officer in Greensboro, North Carolina was fatally shot on 30 December (file pic) (Getty Images)

An off-duty police officer was fatally shot after witnessing a crime at a North Carolina gas station.

The unnamed Greensboro Police Sergeant witnessed a crime occurring at a local gas station the afternoon of 30 December, Chief John Thompson said in a statement. When he approached the two suspects, he was shot.

The sergeant was transported to a nearby hospital after receiving aid on the scene and later succumbed to his injuries, Mr Thompson said.

The sergeant had worked for the department for 23 years.

The suspects were still at large as of Saturday evening, per a statement from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.

“I spoke with Greensboro Police Chief Thompson earlier this evening offering all available state resources to catch those who killed a Greensboro police officer,” Mr Cooper wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

In 2023, Greensboro beat its record for most homicides in a single year, local outlet Fox 8 reports, with 65 reported as of November. The city’s previous record was in 2020 with 62 homicides.