Man charged after shootout with deputies in northeast Columbia neighborhood
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department charged a man Saturday who was involved in a standoff before shooting at deputies in a northeast Columbia neighborhood.
The department charged 32-year-old Michael D. Josey with eight counts of attempted murder, possessing a gun during a violent crime and possessing a stolen gun.
Friday at about 6:30 p.m. deputies were called to the 100 block of Cascade Street in the Briarcliffe subdivision. A resident told deputies that a man, later identified as Josey, was on the roof of a neighboring house with a gun. After a roughly two-hour standoff between Josey and police negotiators, Josey fired at police, who shot back but did not hit him, the department said. Police eventually fired tear gas onto the roof and Josey came down moments later. Josey ran from police who were able to subdue him using a stun gun.
Several homes were evacuated during the standoff.
Friday night, Sheriff Leon Lott said Josey appeared to possibly be in a mental health crisis or to be attempting suicide-by-police and that factored into decisions police supervisors made in how to handle the incident.
Attempted murder is punishable with 30 years in prison.