A law enforcement officer’s primary duties are to safeguard lives and property and to serve the public. Doing so comes with risk. All law enforcement officers accept this risk when they first take their oath of office, and at the beginning of each subsequent shift.
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, representing all 100 sheriffs in our state, is horrified by the recent acts of violence in which seven members of our profession have been injured or killed by gunfire in less than three weeks. We grieve with the families of the affected officers, and we offer our condolences to their friends, coworkers, and communities.
We extend our support to every law enforcement officer; we know these shootings make the burdens of your service heavier and the dangers of your work feel imminently more threatening. The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association acknowledges your daily bravery and loyal commitment to others, and we stand with you.
We ask the public for assistance. A safe, civil, and peaceful society requires a collective commitment to decency and to following public standards; it also requires a system of accountability in our communities for those who violate the law.
To show our appreciation and support of all law enforcement officers, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is offering a reward of $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Wake County Sheriff’s Deputy Ned Byrd.
On Thursday, August 11, 2022, at approximately 11:10 p.m., Deputy Byrd was murdered in the line of duty by multiple gunshot wounds in a rural area on Battle Bridge Road near the intersection of Auburn Knightdale Road in southeastern Wake County, North Carolina.
Anyone having information concerning this case should contact the Wake County Sheriff’s Office at (919) 306-6931 or (919) 306-7748.