Sheriff: Man pointed shotgun at drivers, fired at Wake deputy

William Bruce Ray, 62, of 4912 Raytown Road, was charged with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer with a firearm, according to an arrest warrant. He was being held in the Wake County jail under a $150,000 bond.

A prosecutor said in court Wednesday that the charges will likely be upgraded to attempted murder.

Deputy D.R. Farmer stopped to question Ray in response to reports of a man pointing a shotgun at passing drivers, and Ray became belligerent and pointed the shotgun at Farmer, Sheriff Donnie Harrison said.

"The deputy luckily grabbed the barrel and pushed him back," Harrison said. "The man says, 'I got something for you' and reached in his pocket and came back with a pistol."

As Farmer pushed the .22-caliber handgun aside, the gun went off, the sheriff said.

"Luckily, nobody got hurt. That’s the good thing. God was looking out for us," Harrison said. "(Ray) was very fortunate that he didn’t get shot, very fortunate that anybody didn’t get shot."

Authorities aren't sure why Ray allegedly pointed his shotgun at people, but Harrison said he had been drinking.

"He was very angry about something. We’re trying to piece it together. He’s not being real cooperative with us," he said.

Defense attorney Tommy Manning said he lives next door to Ray and has know him for 26 years. He said Ray suffers from mental illness but poses no flight risk and has the support of his family. A judge denied Manning's request for a lower bond.

Ray also is charged with injury to personal property in connection with damage done to a surveillance camera at the Wake County Sheriff's Office, an arrest warrant states.

"We had him in interrogation room where we talk to people. We try to film it and record everything for investigative purposes. He got angry and snatched the cameras off the wall," Harrison said.