COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC — Newly unsealed court documents have provided a chilling account of the violent mid-September altercation that left a veteran law enforcement officer shot and triggered a massive, hours-long regional manhunt in eastern Columbus County.
According to a recently filed search warrant, 48-year-old William Robert Smith Jr. actively attempted to drown Columbus County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Byrd during a brutal physical struggle in a swampy wooded area just before the deputy’s firearm discharged.
The Pursuit and Crash
The incident began on the morning of September 16, 2026, near the Delco community. Deputy Byrd, a 29-year veteran of law enforcement, attempted to conduct what began as a standard traffic stop. Smith refused to pull over, initiating a vehicle pursuit through the area.
The chase came to an abrupt end when Smith lost control of his vehicle and crashed, fleeing into the dense, swampy terrain on foot.
A Struggle for Survival
According to the investigative details outlined in the search warrant, Deputy Byrd pursued Smith into the woods, where a violent physical confrontation took place. The warrant alleges that during the altercation, Smith forced Byrd into the water in an explicit attempt to drown him.
As Deputy Byrd fought to defend himself, the struggle turned to the officer’s service weapon. During the fight for control of the firearm, the gun discharged, striking Deputy Byrd in his right forearm. Smith then fled further into the wilderness, leaving his shoes behind at the scene.
Multi-Agency Manhunt and Capture
The shooting of the veteran deputy mobilized a massive law enforcement response. More than 75 officers from the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), and the FBI flooded the Brunswick-Columbus county line.
For nearly 11 hours, tracking K9s, helicopters, and heavily armed tactical teams combed the area near Green Tree Road. Residents in the eastern portion of the county were urged to lock their doors and secure their properties as law enforcement established a wide perimeter.
The search ended shortly before 7:00 p.m. when authorities located Smith in the brush. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to a local hospital for evaluation before being booked into jail.
Legal Status and Recovery
Smith, who was already on active probation at the time of the encounter, faces severe felony charges brought by the NCSBI, including attempted first-degree murder and assault on a law enforcement officer. He is currently being held without bond at the Columbus County Detention Center.
Deputy Byrd was rushed to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center following the incident. He underwent surgery for the forearm wound and is reported to be in stable condition as he continues his recovery. The NCSBI remains the lead agency investigating the use of force and the assault.
All individuals named in this report are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Charges and case statuses may change as investigations and court proceedings continue.
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