RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The investigation continued on Sunday into who shot and killed a Wake County Deputy late Thursday night.
There was no new information available about a possible suspect or motive on Sunday, leaving friends and loved ones waiting for justice.
Deputy Ned Byrd was shot shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday; he was found about two hours later by another deputy.
“The person or persons responsible took somebody very special away from us,” Byrd’s former roommate, Jesse Iversen, said.
Iversen, a Cary firefighter who lived with Byrd for years, described him as a “protector by nature.” Sharing the bond of being first responders, they often saw each other when responding to calls, even after they were no longer roommates.
Photo courtesy of Jesse Iversen
“We’d catch up when the scene calmed down a bit,” Iversen said. “We’d always just pick up right where we left off.”
He said Byrd was dedicated to his K9, Sasha, who was inside of his patrol car when the deputy was killed.
Friends remember Byrd always helping others and making every single day count.
“He loved life, loved life and he absolutely lived it to the fullest,” Iversen said. “If he loved you, you came first, and I miss him.”
The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said it is receiving help in the investigation from several local and state agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation.