Man fighting with deputies is killed by them, Richland Co. Sheriff’s Department says

The death of a Columbia man who was shot by a sheriff’s deputy Saturday night is under investigation, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.

Irvin D. Moorer-Charley, 34, was killed in a shooting involving officers, according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford.

Moorer-Charley was fighting with deputies when he was shot and killed, the sheriff’s department said.

At about 6 p.m., deputies responded to Heyward Brockington Road to a report of domestic violence involving a weapon, according to the sheriff’s department. That’s in Columbia, in the area between Monticello and Fairfield roads.

Moorer-Charley was armed with a wooden stake when he was killed, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said at a news conference.

Deputies rendered CPR on Moorer-Charley for 20 minutes until EMS arrived, according to the sheriff’s department. It was not clear if Moorer-Charley died at the scene or if he was taken to an area hospital.

There were no reports of deputies being injured in the incident. Moorer-Charley’s family members did have injuries, but they were not inflicted by deputies, according to Lott. Further information on their conditions was not available.

After being hit with a Taser, Moorer-Charley charged Deputy Zachary Hentz, the sheriff’s department said. Fearing for his life, Hentz opened fire and shot Moorer-Charley four times, Richland County officials said.

“The Richland County Sheriff’s Department will fully investigate this shooting,” Rutherford said.

At 2 p.m., community leaders and activists also held a news conference about the shooting at the Richland County Adult Activity Center, according to Stand As One. A news release about the event included the hashtag #JusticeForIrvinCharley.

The South Carolina Black Activist Coalition said it and Moorer-Charley’s family will be at the news conference, where they will address the incident along with concerns from the community, demands for justice, and calls for transparency.

“Unarmed Black man was shot 10 times in the middle of a mental health crisis,” said a man wearing a Stand As One sweatshirt in a video posted on the group’s Facebook page. “He had a stick in his hand.”

Both Lott and Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford disputed those claims.

Stand As One says it is dedicated to activism for equal rights of all individuals as well as expanding community outreach and growth.

This story was originally published March 20, 2022 at 8:53 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription