Sheriff’s office takes issue with USC Upstate following shooting near campus
In the hours after a shooting near the campus of USC Upstate, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office disputed much of the initial information reported by the university Tuesday.
Among the disputed issues was the initial description of the suspected shooter.
USC Upstate reported that the “Shooting suspect is black male wearing khaki pants, grey hoodie and carrying an automatic weapon.”
Shooting suspect is black male wearing khaki pants, grey hoodie and carrying an automatic weapon.
— USC Upstate (@USCUpstate) November 7, 2017
Lt. Kevin Bobo of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said, “That information is NOT accurate.”
Another issue Bobo had was with USC Upstate’s decision to lock down the campus. He also disputed reports from USC Upstate that law enforcement was on the scene on campus.
“At no time did my agency advise USC-Upstate to go on lockdown status, and none of our deputies have been on their campus searching for a possible suspect,” Bobo said.
Full statement from SCSO on shooting near campus which raises questions on college campus lockdown and suspect description pic.twitter.com/olM3fevFwP
— Cody Alcorn (@CodyAlcorn) November 7, 2017
The campus went into lockdown for about an hour. Deputies responded to reports of a shooting at 12:20 p.m. The school lifted the lockdown at 1:55 p.m.
As of 4:30 p.m., a suspect had not been arrested.
“Our investigation continues, but at present, we don’t feel there was or is any active threat to the students and staff at USC-Upstate,” Bobo said.
No injuries were reported on campus.
A person was shot at Campus Edge Apartments, which is just off campus, near the library. Bobo emphatically said it it “NOT on their campus, which means it is under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Office.
The person suffered non-life-threatening injuries, after being shot in the arm.
Bobo said the person who was shot “isn’t cooperating with our investigators.”
The person’s account of the shooting changed from the time deputies arrived to when they were taken to the hospital, according to Bobo.
“His initial story he was at the complex to meet someone and when he stopped to ask directions, the male suspect started fidgeting around his waistband, produced a weapon, and began firing,” Bobo said.
This story was originally published November 7, 2017 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Sheriff’s office takes issue with USC Upstate following shooting near campus."