13 North Carolina law enforcement officers have been shot in the line of duty in 2022
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day, and that's a fact that has sadly been proven true all too often recently in North Carolina.
Since 2017, a total of 71 North Carolina law enforcement officers have been injured and 9 have been killed in the line of duty by gunfire from civilians.
The years 2020 and 2021 saw slightly more law enforcement injuries caused by gun violence in North Carolina than in the preceding years.
So far in 2022, two officers have been killed and 11 have been injured statewide.
Specifically, in central North Carolina, the last month has seen an uptick in officers shot in the line of duty. Below is a list of those recent incidents:
August 12
Most recently a deputy was shot and killed while responding to a call in eastern Wake County. That deputy has been identified as Ned Byrd, a K9 officer who had served with the sheriff's office for 13 years. The person who shot and killed him remains on the run.
August 10
Deputy Aaron Tyndall was shot while serving a domestic violence warrant at a home in Caswell County.
Tyndall was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
The man who police said shot Tyndall was later identified as Kevin DeSilva. After the shooting, he barricaded himself inside the home for several hours. He eventually gave up and turned himself in to law enforcement peacefully.
August 1
Three deputies were shot while serving involuntary commitment papers in Wayne County.
One of the deputies, Sgt. Matthew Fishman, died from his injuries. Fishman had worked with Wayne County Sheriff's Office for more than a decade.
He is survived by his wife and two children, ages 10 and 14.
"Matthew did what he did because he genuinely cares for others," Dave Fishman, Matthew's father, said. "He is passionate about his job being a Wayne County sheriff's deputy. He is passionate about his family, he is passionate about his faith."
The man who shot and killed Fishman died several hours later after a standoff with law enforcement. His name was Jourdan Hamilton. SWAT members who entered the home and ended the standoff said they found his body and it appeared that he had shot himself.
July 23
Sampson County Deputy Caitlin Emanuel was shot while responding to reports of a stolen car.
She was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. She survived but continues to undergo therapy because of her injuries.
Emanuel's suspected shooter, Michael Walthall Jr., was arrested a short time later in Roxboro.
