An officer was attacked, then a man was shot multiple times, SC cops say
A North Augusta man is in the hospital after being shot multiple times following an early morning attack on a law enforcement officer, the Aiken Department of Public Safety said Tuesday.
Richard Dale McCarty has been charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to warrants released by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which is investigating the shooting.
The incident happened at about 1:45 a.m. at a gas station at the intersection of Whiskey Road and East Pine Log Road, the department of public safety said in a news release. That’s an area of Aiken densely packed with restaurants, retail businesses and multiple schools.
At the gas station, a department of public safety officer was approached by McCarty, and the situation turned into an altercation, according to the release. There was no word why McCarty, 30, approached the officer or what led to the altercation.
McCarty got into his vehicle and rammed the officer’s vehicle with his vehicle several times, disabling both cars, according to SLED. McCarty then climbed out of his passenger side window and attempted to attack the officer with a knife, the department of public safety said.
As the officer tried to separate himself from McCarty, who continued to chase him, two other officers from the department of public safety arrived on the scene and shot McCarty, an incident report said.
McCarty was shot multiple times, according to the release.
McCarty was taken to a local hospital, and at about 8:30 a.m., the department of public safety said information about the extent of his injuries was unknown.
No other injuries were reported by the department of public safety.
The incident in Aiken County was the twelfth officer involved shooting in South Carolina and the first for the Aiken Department of Public Safety this year.
“This is an ongoing investigation,” according to a statement from SLED. “No other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time.”
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This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 9:05 AM.
