ELLERBE — “It hasn’t been a great week,” Fire Chief Will Barber said, echoing a previous statement by Mayor Pro Tem John Sears.
Barber was at the beach on Labor Day when he received an early morning call in the 3 o’clock hour that two of his crew members had been shot at and one had been injured.
Jerry Shepard and Jeremy Scott reportedly responded to a fire alarm call at the Green Lake Road home of businessman Tim Hayden.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the two were “met with gunfire” by Hayden and Shepard was shot in the leg.
Jeremy Scott and Jerry Shepard sit on a bench before being recognized for their service several days after a shooting that left Shepard injured.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Investigators have confirmed with the RO that there was no actual fire at the home.
Hayden was arrested and charged with two counts of assault on emergency personnel with a firearm, one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and one count of resisting a public officer. He has been held without bond since being taken into custody and a bond hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9.
Shepard and Scott were presented plaques during a community prayer and recognition event Saturday evening by Mayor Brenda Capel at Howell Park.
“In the middle of the night, I heard the sirens,” Capel said. “And as usual, when I hear those sirens, I always say a prayer — always thinking that when I hear the sirens that somebody’s in trouble and these are the people that are coming to help."
Ellerbe Mayor Brenda Capel thanks fire and rescue personnel for their dedication to the community.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
But this time, Capel said, it was different: “The person coming to help was in trouble.”
The two were awarded plaques for their “bravery and dedication of services to the Ellerbe Fire Department.”
Capel said the town was grateful that Shepard could attend.
“It could have gone the other way, but God,” she said. “We know that God is always in control and we just thank God that it was not any worse — we hate it happened at all …”
Capel said she would continue to keep the firemen in her prayers.
“Ellerbe is strong … we will survive this.”
Prior to the presentation, Capel asked all fire and rescue personnel to stand against the muraled wall of the park, as she recited “The Firefighter’s Prayer.”
“We thank you for what you do,” Capel said. “We thank you for putting your lives in harm’s way, and …we thank you for putting yourself out there when you don’t have to — because we realize this is a passion for you.”
Shepard and Scott both thanked the community for the support they had received over the past week.
“If it wasn’t for each and every single one of you reaching out and standing behind us, we wouldn’t be able to get through this situation,” Scott said with a shaky voice. “It’s been tough on our family — thank God for them …thank you all.”
Ellerbe Fire Chief Will Barber talks about the toll a Labor Day shooting has had on his department.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
“This is going to be something that’ll take a little while to get through the emotional toll,” Barber said. “Definitely going to take Jerry a little while to get healed up.
Barber said the department is thankful that the situation wasn’t any worse.
“This takes a toll on both our families and all the members,” Barber said. “I really don’t plan on letting this go, so try to support us as we work and make sure they get justice.”
Barber thanked the sheriff’s office and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation for their work on the case.
“I hope everything goes well and we see him brought to justice, “ Barber said. “And I hope y’all can support us as we heal and work through all this.”
Sheriff Mark Gulledge, who arrived late due to another situation in the county, told Scott and Shepard that he stands behind them personally, “and the sheriff’s office is going to be with you the whole way.”
See additional photos from the ceremony at the RO's Facebook page.
