ELLERBE — An assistant fire chief was shot while responding to a dispatch call for a fire alarm at 1023 Green Lake Road in Ellerbe on the morning of September 1, according to officials with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said when the fire crew arrived at the scene, they were met with gunfire and one firefighter was struck. Assistant Fire Chief Jerry Lyndon Shepard was shot in the leg and was airlifted to UNC-Chapel Hill for treatment, they said.
According to the arrest warrant, the suspect, identified as Timothy Lee Hayden, 54, of Ellerbe, used an “AR-15 style rifle” to shoot Shepard. Hayden also assaulted firefighter Jerry Louis Scott Jr. The warrant states an attempt was made to shoot Scott, but he did not sustain an injury. The victims’ names were obtained from the arrest warrant.
Hayden was taken into custody and booked in the Richmond County Jail without bond. He is facing two counts of assaulting emergency personnel and one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 11.
Cordova Fire Rescue, based in Rockingham, released a statement about the gunfire:
“Cordova fire and rescue would like to extend its prayers to Ellerbe Fire Department in reference to the member being shot while responding to a call, while we will not get into the legalities of it, it is very sad that a fireman was trying to do his duties and sustained injuries. Prayers for all involved and to our brothers and sister at Ellerbe Fire Department.”
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the case, which remains open.