Greensboro Officer Fired, Charged With Felony After Shooting Man in Mental Crisis

A former Greensboro police officer has been fired and criminally charged after shooting a 35-year-old man during a struggle outside a home last December, a case that has spent eight months moving through two separate tracks of accountability before landing on a felony charge this month. Hayden Hughes was terminated in July 2026 and now faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, in connection with the wounding of Avery Long.

The shooting happened shortly after 10:02 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2025, in the 3200 block of Van Allen Circle, after Guilford Metro 911 received a call reporting a person experiencing a mental crisis and causing a disturbance, according to the City of Greensboro. As reported by the Charlotte Observer, Greensboro police officers developed probable cause to arrest Long for breaking and entering, and the man refused to comply with lawful commands during the encounter. Long is 35 years old and was charged with breaking and entering, resisting a public officer and assault on a government employee, per the Charlotte Observer's reporting by Mark Price. Greensboro sits roughly 90 miles northeast of uptown Charlotte.

During the struggle that followed, Hughes discharged his firearm, and the round struck Long. Greensboro police officers on scene provided immediate medical aid and requested EMS transport to a local hospital, the Charlotte Observer reported. Long was hospitalized for nearly two weeks before his release on Jan. 5, 2026, after which he posted a $10,000 unsecured bond on the criminal charges against him, according to WFMY News 2.

Internal Review Finds Policy Violation

The department's administrative investigation determined that Hughes' use of deadly force violated Greensboro Police Department policy, and he was accused of violating department policy by using deadly force during the arrest. Hughes had been placed on administrative duty while the investigation proceeded — a stretch that stretched roughly seven months, since he was sworn in as a Greensboro officer on Sept. 23, 2024, and had served just 15 months on the force before the shooting, per the city's account. He was terminated in July 2026.

Greensboro Police Chief Kamran Afzal, who officially assumed command of the department in May 2026 after previously serving as police chief in Dayton, Ohio, said the department has a responsibility to act when an administrative review finds standards were not met. Afzal, who took office months after the shooting and succeeded retired chief John Thompson, said the department will examine the incident, its policies and its training to determine where it can improve.

DA's Office Handles Charging Decision Separately

Afzal has emphasized that the department's administrative investigation and employment decision were kept separate from the criminal charging determination, which rests exclusively with the Guilford County District Attorney's Office. Internal policy violations do not automatically trigger criminal charges without action from prosecutors, the city noted — a structural boundary that explains why Hughes remained on paid administrative duty for months after the internal review before any criminal charge followed in August 2026.

Under North Carolina General Statute § 132-1.4A, police body-camera and dashboard-camera recordings are not public records and can only be disclosed under an order signed by a Superior Court judge, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. Afzal has said he intends to petition the court to release body-worn camera footage related to the shooting, though the timeline for that release depends on judicial approval rather than the department itself.

What the Felony Charge Could Mean

Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury is a Class C felony under N.C.G.S. § 14-32(a) — the state's most severe non-lethal, non-sexual assault offense. Per Thomas Amburgey Law, a conviction carries a mandatory active prison sentence ranging from 44 to 231 months depending on the defendant's prior record level, meaning Hughes faces significant prison exposure if convicted.

Following its administrative review of the shooting, the Greensboro Police Department also updated its directives to require officers to carry Taser Energy Weapons on their non-dominant side, separate from their firearms, in order to minimize weapon confusion during arrests. The city noted that Taser placement was not believed to be a factor in this particular shooting, but the change reflects a broader effort to reduce tactical risk in high-stress encounters.

Part of a Wider Pattern of Scrutiny

This is not the only recent case putting a Greensboro officer's conduct before the courts. In June 2026, another Greensboro officer was criminally charged after a fatal patrol car collision on East Cone Boulevard, when Officer Haley Maeurer was charged in connection with a 76-mph crash that killed a passenger.

Afzal's appointment last spring followed community debate in Greensboro, where local advisory members and activists called for greater public input and heightened police accountability during the leadership transition, according to The Carolina Peacemaker. Civic groups had recommended delaying the chief's hiring process altogether. Whether the Hughes case satisfies those calls for accountability will likely depend in part on what, if anything, a Superior Court judge eventually allows the public to see.