Officer fired and charged after suspect is wounded during struggle, NC police say
A Greensboro police officer has been fired and charged with a crime in connection with the wounding of a suspect who was struggling with officers, according to North Carolina investigators.
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Hayden Hughes is accused of violating department policy when he resorted to deadly force during the arrest, the Greensboro Police Department said in an Aug. 26 news release.
He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, the department said.
The shooting happened Dec. 23, and the wounded suspect is also facing charges, including breaking and entering, resisting a public officer and assault on a government employee, Greensboro police said.
Hughes was placed on administrative duty while the department conducted an investigation into the shooting. The investigation determined “Hughes’ use of deadly force violated departmental policy,” police officials said. He was terminated in July, the department says.
The shooting happened after a 911 caller reported someone “experiencing a mental crisis, causing a disorder,” according to a 2025 news release.
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“Officers developed probable cause to place an individual under arrest for breaking and entering. When informed he was under arrest, the individual refused to comply with lawful commands and a struggle ensued,” police said in the release.
“During the struggle, an officer discharged their firearm, striking the individual. Officers immediately began rendering aid, and requested EMS to transport the individual to a local hospital for treatment.”
The suspect was identified as Avery Long, 35, police said.
Greensboro Police Chief Kamran Afzal said he intends to petition the court to release body-worn camera footage related to the shooting.
“When our own administrative review determines … standards have not been met, we have a responsibility to act,” Afzal said in the news release.
“We also recognize that our officers routinely encounter situations that are volatile, unpredictable, and capable of escalating in seconds. Accountability does not prevent us from learning. As an organization, we will continue examining this incident, our policies, and our training to determine where we can improve.”
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Greensboro is about a 90-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.
