Former Shelby Officer Charged in Assault Case

A former Shelby police officer seen on video repeatedly punching a woman during an arrest has now been charged with assault, while court records reviewed by WAME News show prosecutors have already dismissed two of the criminal charges filed against the woman involved in the incident.

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced on June 1 that former Shelby Police Officer Karson Hyder, 22, has been charged with one count of misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury following an investigation into allegations of excessive force during a May 29 arrest in Shelby.

Hyder turned himself in at the Cleveland County Detention Center on June 1 and was released after posting a $10,000 secured bond.

WAME News analyzed North Carolina Judicial Branch eCourts records, which show Hyder is charged under case number 26CR321621-220 in the Cleveland County District Court.

According to the arrest warrant, SBI Special Agent Brandon Blackman alleged Hyder "unlawfully and willfully" assaulted Cherrie Moore by grabbing her arm, pushing her to the ground, and striking her in the face with a closed fist.

The charging document alleges Moore suffered "serious injury," including a possible broken nose and a busted lip.

The charge stems from an arrest captured on home surveillance video that was circulated widely on social media. The footage appears to show Hyder taking Moore to the ground and striking her multiple times during the arrest.

Charges Against Moore

Public records reviewed by WAME News show Moore, 34, was arrested on May 29 and initially charged with three misdemeanors under Cleveland County case number 26CR319194-220:

• Breaking or Entering (Misdemeanor)

• Resisting a Public Officer

• Assault on a Government Official or Employee

  
  

Court records show Moore was released the same day on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

However, prosecutors later dropped two of those charges.

According to court records, the Cleveland County District Attorney's Office filed voluntary dismissals without leave on June 1 for both the resisting a public officer charge and the assault on a government official charge. The misdemeanor breaking or entering charge remains pending.

The original criminal complaint against Moore was filed by Hyder himself. 

Previous arrest 

Public court records also show Hyder arrested Moore in 2025 in Shelby, according to the Cleveland County District Court case 25CR387445-220. The case was filed on 08/15/2025 and charged Moore with misdemeanor breaking or entering and resisting a public officer. Court records show she was released the same day on a $2,000 bond and the matter was later disposed on 09/09/2025. According to the docket, Moore entered a guilty plea to resisting a public officer and received a 15-day sentence in the Cleveland County Detention Center with credit for time served, while the breaking or entering charge was dismissed by the district attorney.

NC Department of Adult Correction records show Moore has a previous felony conviction in 2024.

Shelby Police Fired Officer Within 24 Hours

The incident prompted an immediate internal investigation by the Shelby Police Department.

In a statement issued May 29, Shelby Police Chief Brad Fraser called the officer's actions shown on video "disturbing and inappropriate."

"The inappropriate use of force is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by me, the Shelby Police Department, or the City of Shelby," Fraser said.

Fraser also noted that a second officer at the scene intervened during the encounter.

By the following morning, the department's Office of Professional Standards, also known as internal affairs, had completed its administrative review. Fraser announced Hyder's employment was terminated effective May 30.

The department simultaneously referred the matter to the SBI for an independent criminal investigation.

"As I stated yesterday, community trust is the foundation of effective policing," Fraser said. "While this incident does not reflect the values of the Shelby Police Department, it does reinforce the importance of holding ourselves to the highest standards of conduct."

Court Records Detail Bond and First Appearance

Records show Hyder surrendered himself to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued June 1. A magistrate set a $10,000 secured bond, which was posted through a professional surety.

His first court appearance was scheduled for June 2 in the Cleveland County District Court.

WAME News also reviewed the publicly accessible eCourts file and found that, unlike many criminal cases, the online record does not publicly display a full street address for Hyder. The publicly available case information identifies only Cherryville as the defendant's city of residence. A separate 2025 case for allegedly speeding 73 in a 55 mph zone (case number 25CR702713-350) shows his full address. He pleaded to a lesser offense in that case and paid a fine.

The SBI has said no additional information is being released at this time. The investigation remains ongoing.