EDEN, N.C. — For WFMY News 2's Hannah Jeffries, the Charlotte tragedy hits home.
Her father, Richie Jeffries spent nearly 30 years as an Eden police officer. At one point within his career, he was shot while off duty.
Hannah recalled what it was like to grow up in a law enforcement family. She said it was normal to wake up in the middle of the night to the high pitch sound of her dad's work phone.
There was a time when the Jeffries family didn't know if the husband and father would make it home. Back in 2001, he almost didn't. Years ago, while off duty, he was sitting in stand still traffic when he was shot in a drive-by shooting.
"Well, I don't know if they recognized me or not, just know they shot me, but after that you make it through, you get back on the saddle and go and that's it," recalled Jeffries.
Law enforcement is a brother hood, on Monday four members of that family were killed in the line of duty.
"There's times that I've been there and the hair on the back of my neck stands up, but that focuses you in on what you're supposed to do and what you have to do to get home and get your buddies home," said Jeffries.
He said policing was different back in the 90's. Compared to then and now, he said people used to have more respect for law enforcement.
"The people out here, they need to realize that thin blue line is what's standing in between you and total chaos, and the way things are going right now in this world, things are going to have to change enough is enough," he exclaimed.
The tragedy in the Queen City reminds Blue Line families to never take a good day at work for granted.