Charlotte-Mecklenburg SWAT came under fire Wednesday as they served an arrest warrant in a north Charlotte home. An officer and a suspect were wounded in the gunfight. A Salvadorian illegal immigrant and his brother were charged and arrested.
CMPD officers also detained 10 other suspected illegal immigrants who were living in the subdivision. They have not been charged.
Police say that Gilberto Rivas fired at officers about 5:30 a.m., as they entered the house to serve an arrest warrant on his brother Rafael. SWAT served the warrant because police had been told that there were guns in the house.
One SWAT officer received minor wounds during the gunfight. Gilberto Rivas was critically wounded and taken to the hospital. Police say they expect to charge him with five counts of attempted murder and six counts of assault with a firearm for attacking the entry team.
Rafael Rivas, 32, was charged with falsifying North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles car title documents, the reason for the warrant. He was also charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, a 7.62mm assault rifle.
ICE officials are investigating the immigration status of Gilberto Rivas. Rafael Rivas has a criminal record spanning more than a decade, mostly for minor offenses.
Police would not answer questions from the Charlotte Observer regarding whether the brothers are members of MS-13.