Deputy and another person hit by gunfire in Midlands shooting, SC cops say
UPDATE: Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Andrew Gillette was killed in the line of duty when he was shot in the chest by a suspect who died after other deputies returned fire.
Original Story
An officer-involved shooting happened in the Midlands on Tuesday.
The shooting involved a member of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) spokesman Tommy Crosby told The State.
According to reports Crosby was given between 11:30 a.m. and noon, a deputy and another person were hit by gunfire in the shooting.
Information on their conditions was not available, but Sheriff Anthony Dennis told The State the deputy was hospitalized.
Dennis said the incident had been contained, with no ongoing threat to the public, and that more information would be released Tuesday afternoon.
One law enforcement officer told The State the situation was serious.
Information on what led to the shooting was not available.
The area near Thomas Sumter Highway (U.S. 521) and Four Bridges Road was swarming with law enforcement officers, per WLTX.
“SLED crime scene and regional agents are en route, or on scene, to assist with the investigation,” Crosby said.
It is common for SLED to be asked to lead the investigation when a law enforcement officer fires their weapon or is shot in the line of duty, Crosby said.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 12:17 PM.
