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By Chandler Inions, Salisbury Post

It has been nearly a year since Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Officer Joshua Eyer, alongside three other law enforcement officers, was killed in the line of duty. To honor his legacy, Eyer’s alma mater, Pfeiffer University, created a scholarship in his name.
The Joshua Eyer ’17 Endowed Scholarship for Servant Leadership bears his name and pays tribute to a life dedicated to service.
“Officer Joshua Eyer lived a life of integrity and honor, and his heroic actions have been honored by the entire nation since his death on Monday, April 29, 2024,” says the Pfeiffer web page about the scholarship. “On that date, members of the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force were ambushed while attempting to serve a warrant on a convicted felon. Officer Eyer was one of the first responding officers to the scene and later succumbed to the injuries he sustained during the prolonged gun battle that ensued.”
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, “Investigator Sam Poloche, Investigator Alden Elliott, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas Weeks were killed at the scene. Officer Eyer succumbed to his wounds several hours later. Three officers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and a second Deputy United States Marshal were also wounded.”
Shortly after the tragedy, Pfeiffer University launched a memorial fund in Eyer’s name. Interim Director of Marketing/Communications and Director of Creative Services Gary Veazey said that the memorial fund ultimately paved the way for the creation of the endowed scholarship.
According to the website, the scholarship was created to provide support for undergraduate students who are committed to the service of others.
“Officer Eyer was an exemplary police officer, but he was also a quiet leader who is remembered as one who made a difference in the lives of others, in and out of the uniform,” she said. “The scholarship that bears his name is intended to encourage others to emulate this example.”
Expanding on that, Veazey added, “The Endowed Scholarship for Servant Leadership will be for undergrad students committed to the service of others. These majors would include criminal justice and education — majors that reflect the servant leadership lives of Joshua and Ashley Eyer.”
Veazey also said that depending on the health of the fund, the scholarship could be expanded to include more than one student in the future.
Eyer’s widow Ashley thanked Pfeiffer in a Facebook post.
“Pfeiffer University has made an immeasurable impact on our family,” she said. “As both our alma mater and my workplace, the Pfeiffer community has surrounded me with grace and support. Walking around campus evokes a mix of comfort and sorrow as I am reminded of our beautiful love that grew here. I never imagined this would be our way of paying it forward to the next generation of Falcons, but I know it is the right thing to do.”
Eyer’s service began many years before his tenure with CMPD.
“Officer Eyer was committed to the service of others at a young age, joining JROTC in high school and the North Carolina Army National Guard in 2012,” the Pfeiffer website says. “His service included deployments to Afghanistan (2013-2014) and Kuwait (2019-2020). He graduated from Pfeiffer University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in 2017 and joined the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in the same year.”
Eyer was 31 at the time of his death.

Chandler Inions is editor of the Salisbury Post.