Catawba County man arrested by new violent crimes task force gets 10 years in prison

A convicted felon from Catawba County will face at least 10 years in prison for shooting into an occupied vehicle and possessing multiple firearms.

Tyon Shamar Turner, 23, of Long View, pleaded guilty in Catawba County Superior Court on Wednesday to discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle in operation, possession of firearm by a felon, possession of a gun with serial number removed and admitted to his status as an armed habitual felon, District Attorney Scott Reilly's office said in a news release.

Turner fired multiple gunshots into a moving vehicle occupied by several people in Hickory on Oct. 30, 2025, the district attorney's office said.

Turner was arrested on active warrants on Dec. 5, 2025. When Turner was arrested, he had two handguns in his possession. One handgun was reported stolen. The serial number of the other handgun was removed with a grinding tool, the district attorney's office said.

Superior Court Judge Clifton H. Smith gave Turner a prison sentence of 10 to 13 years for the crimes, the district attorney's office said.

The prison sentence was lengthened by the habitual felon status, which included a May 2021 conviction of discharging a weapon into occupied property in Catawba County, the district attorney's office said.

Turner's conviction came about through the collaborative efforts of the newly formed Catawba Valley Violent Crimes Task Force. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Catawba County Sheriff's Office, Hickory Police Department, Maiden Police Department, Newton Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are part of the task force, the district attorney's office said.

"This defendant repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to use firearms in a manner that endangered others," Reilly said. "The sentence imposed removes a violent repeat offender from our community and reflects the strong partnership between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors who are committed to protecting the citizens of Catawba County."

Austin Steele investigated for Hickory Police Department. Assistant District Attorney Kyle Smith prosecuted the matter for the State with aid from Legal Assistant Amy Bishoff.

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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 5:36 AM.