Man on a stolen motorcycle shot at a Richland deputy. He’s still on the loose

Authorities are searching for a man who shot at a Richland County sheriff’s deputy when the officer during an attempted traffic stop in the Lower Richland area Sunday night.

It happened around 9:15 p.m. at Solomon and Joyner Street in Eastover, according to Sgt. Amanda Jordan of the sheriff’s department. A deputy initiated a traffic stop on a motorcycle traveling in that area, but the driver of the motorcycle fired a gunshot at the deputy before running into a woodline.

The officer was not injured, but deputies need help locating the suspect, who is described as a black male, about 6 feet tall and weighing 165 pounds. He has a slim build and short hair.

The man should be considered armed and extremely dangerous, the sheriff’s department said.

The motorcycle he was driving was found to be stolen from the City of Columbia.

Anyone with information on the man’s whereabouts is asked to call Crimestoppers at 888-CRIME-SC. Callers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.