Police are seeking Ward 4 Councilman Pierre Beard in a domestic dispute involving his wife.

If he doesn’t turn himself in by this evening, Police Chief Fred Shelton said a warrant will be issued for Beard’s arrest.

Shelton said police responded to Beard’s home at about 6 p.m. Thursday where his wife claimed Beard fired a gun into the air while the two were arguing. No one was injured, but Beard had fled the scene by the time officers arrived.

The dispute, Shelton said, pertained to Beard’s catering business.

“We have no idea where he is,” Shelton said. “We looked for him last night at about three different places.”

Shelton said he has not heard from Beard directly, but he has heard from Beard’s attorney, Nicole Clinkscales.

Beard has 24 hours from the time of the incident to turn himself in, Shelton said. After that, police will seek an arrest warrant for misdemeanor domestic violence.

“Hopefully, he will turn himself in,” Shelton told The Dispatch. “If he doesn’t, we’ll get that warrant. It’s not going to go away.”

The Dispatch attempted to reach both Beard and Clinkscales but was unsuccessful by press time.

Beard, an independent, first took office after winning a special election in September 2019 to replace Fred Jackson, who had resigned. Beard won election to his first full term in June.

He was cited in January for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, for which he publicly apologized.

Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.