WS Chronicle

A relaxing day at the park was interrupted by gunfire earlier this week when William Coleman Scott, 26, endangered the lives of dozens of innocent people when he opened fire on police officers in Hanes Park, a mere hours after it is believed he killed his mother and grandmother. 

Here’s what we know: 

Around 3:34 p.m. on Monday, June 15, more than a dozen shots from a high powered semi-automatic rifle were fired into the District 1 Police Station on North Point Boulevard. After his vehicle was identified, Scott led officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD) on a four and a half mile chase that ended in front of Reynold’s High School gymnasium on Northwest Boulevard. 

At that point, Scott got out of his vehicle and fired several more shots at officers before dropping the semi-automatic rifle and running  toward Hanes Park. While being chased by officers in the park, Scott fired several shots at officers from a handgun. After a brief stand-off and exchange of gunfire, Scott was shot and taken into custody. 

“The suspect was transported to the local hospital, where he is in stable condition,” said Chief Catrina Thompson during a press conference held at the Public Safety Center on Monday night. Thompson said for his actions at the police station and at the park, Scott has been charged with attempted murder. 

“Mr. Scott is in police custody for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. Because of the brazen attack on the police sub-station, officers began the process of identifying places of residence so that evidence of the crime could be sought,” Thompson said.

Further investigation into Scott and his known places of residence unveiled two horrific scenes. At around 5:30 p.m. officers with the WSPD and deputies with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office traveled to a home located in the 1700 block of Curraghmore Road in Clemmons, where they found the body of Scott’s mother, Kimberly Scott. Law enforcement also traveled to a residence at 224 Tabor View Lane in Winston-Salem, where they found the body of Scott’s 84-year-old grandmother, Glenda Snow Corriher. 

The investigation into Corriher’s death is being handled by the WSPD and the investigation into Kimberly Scott’s death is being handled by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO). Both deaths are being handled as homicides. 

When discussing the case briefly during the press conference, Sheriff Kimbrough did mention that the victim at the home in Clemmons did die from a gunshot wound. 

“I’ve given you what we know and there is an active investigation being conducted … that’s all we have at this time,” Kimbrough said. 

Captain Steven Tolley with the WSPD’s Criminal Investigations Division, said law enforcement  has had contact with William Scott in the past, but there was no information to indicate that he would carry out something like this. 

“There was no information to indicate that today’s events were going to occur,” Tolley said. “He was not under investigation for this type of crime to potentially occur, so it was a surprise to law enforcement.” 

But Scott’s past does show a history of violence. Records show in December 2016, just three years after he graduated from West Forsyth High School, Scott was convicted of misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury when he gave a woman a concussion. He received probation. Scott has also been charged with armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, and resisting a public officer, more than once. 

Still recovering from shock

The shootout at Hanes Park endangered the lives of dozens, and maybe even hundreds, of innocent lives, including dozens of children. 

In addition to the park traffic you would normally expect on a 90-degree day, there were children in the park enrolled in the summer camp hosted by the YMCA, and Reynolds High School was having summer football workouts. Wiley Middle School and Brunson Elementary School are also in the vicinity of where shots were fired.    

When they realized the danger they were in, camp counselors, coaches, and other adults jumped into action to make sure the children were safe, rushing them off to find shelter wherever they could. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) recommended an immediate lockdown at Reynolds, Wiley, Brunson and other schools in the area

Following the shooting, there were still a number of officers near and around the park hours later. On the day after the shots rang out in the park, several people who had children in the park said they were still trying to recover. Nakida McDaniel, whose son was practicing with the football team and had other family members who had just left the park, said she had to call out of work because she was still recovering. 

“He’s safe and everything, but I’m still recovering. It really is amazing that nobody else was hurt. I had to call out today because I’m still recovering,” McDaniel said.