A 44-year-old man is facing multiple charges after deputies say he returned to the scene of a series of arsons on Pleasant Ridge Road in north Shelby County and opened fire on a witness, leaving that person with minor shrapnel injuries. Joshua Byrd was taken into custody Thursday after deputies responded to the home and found him connected to fires that had already damaged the property the day before.
Deputies Called Back to a Property Already Hit by Fire
According to Action News 5, deputies were called to the home on Pleasant Ridge Road on Thursday, September 24. Detectives say several other arsons had already happened at the same location the day before, on September 23. A small tree and a large area of grass caught fire during a suspected arson at the property, and fire crews extinguished the flames once they arrived.
Detectives working the case received a description of a suspect's vehicle believed to be tied to the fires, the station's report notes. When the driver of that vehicle arrived back at the arson scene, deputies took Byrd into custody on the spot.
Gas Can, Guns and Ammunition Found in Vehicle
Investigators say Byrd's vehicle contained a gas can along with multiple firearms and ammunition, and that Byrd also had a gun on his person at the time of his arrest, per the same account. The sheriff's office accuses Byrd of being behind the series of arsons at the property, though the full circumstances behind the fires have not been detailed publicly.
The case took a more dangerous turn when one witness reported that Byrd fired a gun at him several times. That gunfire caused minor shrapnel injuries, according to the witness account relayed in the report. Investigators found bullet damage on a vehicle and a nearby trailer, and shell casings were recovered at the scene.
Charges Filed Against Byrd
Byrd was charged with reckless burning, vandalism, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, the outlet reports. Court records for the case, including any bond amount or scheduled hearing dates, were not immediately available through public channels such as the Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk's Office.
The exact number of fires set at the property, the total extent of any property damage, and the identities of the homeowner and witnesses involved have not been released. Residents in north Shelby County can also check inmate custody status through the Tennessee VINE system as the case moves through the courts.
