Man killed in shootout with law enforcement that left a deputy hospitalized, SC cops say
A man was killed and a sheriff’s deputy was injured in the line of duty in a Sunday shootout, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said.
Marquis Griffin, 27, was shot and died at the scene during the incident with Lee County sheriff’s deputies, SLED said in a news release.
Deputies were responding to a domestic assault involving an armed man, and gunfire erupted when they arrived at the scene, according to the release.
One deputy was shot in the leg and was taken to an area hospital for treatment, SLED said. Further information on the deputy’s condition was not available.
No other injuries were reported from the shooting. There was no word on injuries that might have been caused during the domestic assault, and further information about that incident was not available.
Lee County Sheriff Daniel Simon said two patrol cars and a mobile home also were hit by bullets during the shooting on Piedmont Road in Bishopville, WIS reported.
Information about the shooting, who fired first and how many shots were fired was not available.
SLED was requested to lead an investigation into the shooting, and said that process is ongoing.
There have been 18 shootings involving law enforcement officers in South Carolina this year, and this is the first involving the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, according to SLED.
In the past week, there were two other shootings that involved law enforcement officers firing their weapons, SLED said.
Also on Sunday, a man suspected of armed robbery was killed in a shootout with a McCormick County deputy, who was also shot in the line of duty, but is expected to make a full recovery, the sheriff’s office said.
On June 14 in Greenwood County, a 17-year-old male was arrested after a chase where there was an exchange of gunfire with police officers, according to SLED. No injuries were reported in that shooting, SLED said.
Greenwood police were responding to a call about a person brandishing a handgun in the Parker Avenue and Jordan Street area, which led to the chase and shooting, according to SLED. The armed teenager briefly escaped law enforcement, but was eventually found hiding inside a U-Haul trailer by Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office deputies, SLED said.
The teen was charged with possession of a handgun by unlawful person under 18 and discharging a firearm in the city, according to SLED.
In 2022, there were 32 shootings in South Carolina that involved law enforcement officers, SLED said.
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This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 12:21 PM.
