Raleigh police on Thursday released the name of the officer shot earlier this week in a shootout that left two men dead.
Max Gillick, a first class officer, remains in critical condition as of Thursday at WakeMed after undergoing surgery, police said.
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“The outpouring of support to Officer Gillick and the entire RPD family from the community has been wonderful,” Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson wrote in a news release. “We are blessed by a community that embraces one of our own during this challenging time.
“Officer Gillick’s family has shown tremendous strength, composure, and resilience during this difficult time. The family asks for privacy as they continue to stand by Officer Gillick.”
Gillick has worked as a Raleigh police officer since June 2022, police said.
People can send cards and well-wishes to the Raleigh Police Department:
Attention: Shelly Owens
6716 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27615
Raleigh police said Gillick served in the Army as a captain in field artillery with the 82nd Airborne.
Gillick’s LinkedIn page shows a stint in the U.S. Army, where he was based at Fort Liberty and served overseas in Germany.
The LinkedIn page also shows he attended the University of Oklahoma, earning a master’s degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections in 2023 and holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Texas A&M University.
Rick Armstrong with the Raleigh Police Protective Association said he didn’t personally know Gillick, but has had conversations with friends and family.
“I mean, for going from the military to law enforcement, that's a selfless decision and life decisions he's making,” Armstrong said of Gillick. “See, I'd say he's very selfless and very dedicated to community.”
Gillick was critically injured Tuesday in Raleigh’s Renaissance Park neighborhood where, police say, Antonio Rodrigues, 70, entered the home of his ex-wife and killed John Rowe, 73. Rodrigues died in an exchange of gunfire with Raleigh police officers.
Rodrigues’ ex-wife, Jill Rohner, who lives at the townhome on Democracy Street, escaped to a neighbor’s house while Tuesday’s shooting unfolded.
"For the family, it's about privacy right now and making sure that we keep the officer in our prayers, which is what we're all doing," Armstrong said. "We're going to be there for them. So, that's really important to know that not just now, but down the road, we're going to be there for the family and for the officer."
Who is the suspected shooter?
Court records show Rohner had a restraining order against Rodrigues, who had multiple convictions for stalking and harassing his ex-wife.
WRAL Investigates found Rodrigues’ most recent addresses in Carteret County and New Jersey, both of which were many miles from the victim’s home in Raleigh.
The court records show Rodrigues was scheduled to go through abuser treatment, get a mental health assessment and “have no contact with [Rohner].”
The latest conviction came in 2024, which resulted in probation with stipulations that Rodrigues had to stay at least 300 yards away from Rohner.
The documents list the maximum punishment for the crimes as about 17 years. Instead, a judge gave Rodrigues three years probation, which would've run through March 2026.
In 2014, Rohner and Rodrigues filed for divorce in Carteret County. That same year he was convicted the first time for stalking. Rodrigues was convicted again in 2023 for stalking and disclosing private images of Rohner.
Who is the man shot and killed?
Rohner said Rowe was a retired family doctor who graduated from Yale.
According to Rohner, Rowe leaves behind kids and grandkids in Durham.