04-04-2025
Man arrested after chase, shooting and manhunt
HENDERSON — A car chase Tuesday night resulted in shots fired and a manhunt that ended 16 hours later.
On April 1, at approximately 11:30 p.m., deputies from the Vance County Sheriff's Office assisted the Henderson Police Department in its attempt to apprehend a fleeing suspect.
The suspect, identified as Markus Hilliard, fled from HPD officers during a traffic stop. VCSO Deputies assisted due to the pursuit heading into the county. Deputies took over the pursuit once Hilliard turned on Gillburg Road. Hilliard, in an attempt to get around deputies, hit a VCSO vehicle head-on, causing damage to it.
The pursuit ended inside Foster Mobile Home Park in close proximity to where Hilliard lived. Hilliard then jumped and ran from the vehicle into a heavily wooded area with an AR-15. While there, he fired 30 shots at law enforcement officials. The VCSO, HPD and North Carolina State Highway Patrolmen set up a perimeter in the area to locate Hilliard.
After a few hours, that search was called off.
On Wednesday, deputies received information that Hilliard was in the area of Fern Lane and wanted to turn himself in. Deputies went to the location to take Hilliard into custody. He jumped out a window, however, and again fled law enforcement.
A perimeter was set by VCSO deputies and officers with the NCSHP, HPD as well as the State Bureau of Investigations and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
After a chase through a nearby wooded area, Hilliard was finally taken into custody by Vance County deputies.
The VCSO charged Hilliard with misdemeanor assault on a government official, hit and run failure to stop resulting in property damage, felony fleeing to elude arrest. He received a secured bond of $27,500. The HPD also charged Hilliard with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony fleeing to elude arrest, driving while license revoked, and with resisting a public officer, charges for which he received a secured bond of $60,000.
Hilliard was processed and transported to the Vance County Detention Center. He posted bond and released from custody just before 1 p.m. on Thursday.
