Ned Byrd: Wake County deputy shot and killed near a gas station on Auburn Knightdale Road – WTVD-TV

A member of the Wake County sheriff’s office was fatally wounded in the line of duty last night. There is currently an ongoing investigation to find out who’s responsible for this loss.

Deputy Ned Byrd, 48, was shot multiple times and found dead around 1 a.m. Thursday.

Byrd was shot after getting out of his car to check on suspicious activity, according to Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker. Byrd didn’t radio for help after he was shot, and deputies came to the scene after he didn’t respond.

Authorities are searching for a man who might be driving a white pickup truck, and are also using ATVs and a helicopter to try to piece together the final moments of Byrd’s life.

Byrd was a 13-year veteran of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office and a K-9 unit member. He was described as “very dedicated and committed” by his friends.

Byrd was a caring and eager to serve person who took his job seriously and was there for the community. He was known for piling too much into what he was doing, or committing to helping everybody.

Jon Gregory at Wake Technical Community College said an officer’s job begins with the basic law enforcement training program, known as BLET, before they advance to more training in several programs at an agency. Gregory said the latest trend he’s seeing is the number of assaults on officers increasing.

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