In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 25, 2026, the life of 46-year-old James Lester Underwood was cut short in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Responding to a shooting report just before 1 a.m. in the 5000 block of Kimbrough Street, police officers discovered Underwood suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency medical services transported him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The initial investigation by the Winston-Salem Police Department quickly determined that the incident was not a random act of violence.
Detectives from the department's Criminal Investigations Division undertook a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the fatal shooting. Investigators were able to identify all the individuals involved in the incident and noted that they were all acquainted with one another. The authorities reported that all parties were cooperative with the investigation, which revealed that Underwood had been involved in a physical altercation that ultimately led to his death. This altercation and the subsequent shooting were the central focus of the extensive inquiry conducted by the police.
After a comprehensive review of the evidence and the sequence of events, and in consultation with the Forsyth County District Attorney's Office, a significant conclusion was reached. The authorities determined that the shooting of James Lester Underwood was an act of self-defense. As a result of this finding, the District Attorney's office announced that no charges would be filed in connection with his death. The case was subsequently closed, leaving the community to reflect on a tragic event that ended a man's life but was ultimately deemed a justifiable act of self-preservation under the law.
