Man accused of killing Mount Holly Police officer denied bond

The man accused of killing Mount Holly Police Officer Tyler Herndon was denied bond during a court appearance one week after the fatal shooting.

Joshua Funk, 24, made his first court appearance Friday morning on charges of felony first-degree murder in Officer Herndon’s death.

Funk was given a court-ordered attorney and ordered held without bond.

The shooting happened around 3:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, near the Mt. Holly Car Wash on Beatty Drive in Gaston County. Charlotte police say two other people, including the suspect, were injured in the shooting.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say officers tried to engage with an armed breaking and entering suspect when the shots were exchanged between Funk and several Mount Holly officers, including Officer Herndon.

Funk and Officer Herndon were both shot, officials say, and at least one other person was hurt. Officer Herndon was taken to Caromont Main where he was pronounced dead just before 10:30 a.m.

He had been with the Mount Holly Police Department for less than two years and was only two days away from his 26th birthday.

No information has been released about the third person injured, but CMPD says no other officers were injured.

Funk suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to Caromont Main with minor injuries. He was treated and taken to the Gaston County Jail and booked on his charges.

Three officers involved were placed on administrative leave to ensure their respective department policies and procedures were followed, which is standard procedure.

Chief Don Roper spoke about how Herndon’s death impacts the community and the Mount Holly Police Department.

“It breaks my heart to have to inform our community that we’ve lost a hero today,” Chief Roper said. “Tyler Herndon was a great man, he is a hero. He served this community well. Our community is less right now because we’ve lost him. Society has actually lost a good man today. He was a selfless man.”

Roper said he saw the potential in Herndon from the way he worked and “stood up for what was right.” Roper said Herndon understood the risks of being a police officer and was willing to accept those risks to serve the community.

“We’re hurting, our department is hurting, our family is hurting - but we will rely on each other to get through this,” Chief Roper said.

Roper asked the public to recognize the life Herndon lived and sacrifices he was making to protect the community.

Officer Herndon was laid to rest Tuesday at Bethlehem Baptist Church in his hometown of Kings Mountain, with hundreds in attendance to honor the fallen officer.

The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting.

The Internal Affairs Bureau with the Mount Holly Police Department will conduct a separate but parallel investigation to determine whether department policies and procedures were followed during the incident, police say, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.

This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 2:07 PM.