Winston-Salem man shot, killed; investigators determine self-defense

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the county’s first homicide of 2026, which deputies say has been ruled a justifiable act of self-defense.

Deputies responded to reports of shots fired around 11 p.m. Thursday at a home on Hartman Plaza Court. When they arrived, they found a man who’d been shot multiple times.

Investigators said the man was rushed to the hospital but later died from his injuries. He has been identified as 54-year-old Floyd Leonard Denney of Winston-Salem.

After reviewing evidence, technology, and witness statements, and after consulting with the Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office, investigators determined the shooting was a justifiable self-defense homicide.

“Our prayers and our thoughts are always with those involved in such a tragic incident,” Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough Jr. said in a statement.