Bond set for Hayden in Ellerbe firefighter shooting case

ROCKINGHAM — A bond has been set for Tim Hayden, a Richmond County businessman accused of shooting at two firemen on Labor Day.

Court records show the bond for Hayden has been set at $875,000 secured, following a hearing on Sept. 9.

Hayden, 54, is charged with two counts of assault on emergency personnel with a firearm, and one count each of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. 

Records show Hayden was also given a $5,000 secured bond for the charge of resisting a public officer.

According to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, Hayden fired several shots from an AR15-style rifle at two members of the Ellerbe Fire Department — Jerry Shepard and Jeremy Scott — who were responding to a fire alarm at his home on Green Lake Road shortly after 3 a.m. Sept. 1.

Shepard reportedly was shot in the leg and taken to a trauma center for treatment.

Hayden is also accused of refusing to lower his rifle when ordered to do so by a deputy who was attempting to administer aid to Shepard.

Both Scott and Shepard were awarded for their bravery during a community prayer and recognition event in Ellerbe Sept. 6.

District Court Judge Chistopher Rue also set the following bond conditions for Hayden:

• He is not to have any contact with the reported victims, “whatsoever.”
• He is to surrender his passport to the Clerk of Superior Court’s office, where it will be held “until further order from the court.”
• He is to abstain from “all alcohol use,” to be verified by a continuous alcohol monitoring system, with any violations being reported to the district attorney’s office.
• He is prohibited from possessing, “either actually or constructively,” any firearms as defined by state law; and knowingly being within 15 yards of any firearms.

Hayden, according to records with the N.C. Secretary of State’s Office, is a managing partner for Paratus Outfitters, a gun store in Rockingham.

As of 8:21 p.m., Hayden was still listed as being detained in the Richmond County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 17.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.