Armed man had been shot twice when he grabbed a deputy’s gun and fired, SC cops say
A heavily armed man was shot multiple times by law enforcement officers Saturday outside a South Carolina home, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
After being shot twice during the confrontation, 58-year-old Blacksburg resident Gregory Scott Byers managed to grab one of the deputy’s handguns and a shot was fired before he was restrained, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Byers suffered what the sheriff’s office called non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital. After he was treated and released from the hospital Byers was booked in to the Cherokee County Detention Center, jail records show.
None of the deputies involved were injured, but they were exposed to Byers’ blood during a struggle and again as they applied tourniquets near his wounds, the sheriff’s office said in the release.
The incident
Deputies got involved at about 9:15 a.m., when they responded to Byers’ home in the 300 block of Bridges Road, the sheriff’s office said.
A man, later identified as Byers, had threatened to shoot a woman at the home and fired several rounds before the deputies arrived, according to the release. Information about why Byers made the threats was not available.
At about 9:25 a.m., four deputies arrived and began approaching the home when Byers confronted them in the driveway, while holding a long gun later determined to be a shotgun, the sheriff’s office said.
Byers ignored the deputies’ commands to drop the weapon, according to the release. When he pointed the long gun at the law enforcement officers one of the deputies fired several shots and hit Byers in the upper arm, the sheriff’s office said.
After being shot, Byers fell to the ground and dropped the shotgun, according to the release. As the law enforcement officers continued to approach Byers pulled out a hidden pistol and then was shot by another deputy, this time in the leg, the sheriff’s office said.
Despite being shot two times, Byers continued to “struggle and resist,” the sheriff’s office said. While the deputies were able to get the pistol away from Byers, he then grabbed one of the deputy’s handguns and another shot was fired, but nobody was hit by this gunfire, according to the release.
Deputies had to use a Taser to restrain Byers long enough to get him in handcuffs, as he continued struggling and fighting as he tried to get another gun from a deputy, the sheriff’s office said.
When he finally was in handcuffs, the deputies found another pistol in Byers’ pocket along with an ammo pouch that held several rounds, according to the release.
The aftermath
Byers remains behind bars in the county detention center, jail records show.
No bond has been set for Byers, who was charged with four counts of pointing and presenting firearms at a person, along with single counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime and first-degree domestic violence, according to jail records.
Information about the condition of the woman involved in the initial incident was not available.
Both that incident and the shooting involving the deputies are being investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, according to the release. The sheriff’s office said it asked SLED to lead the investigation.
The sheriff’s office placed three of the four deputies involved in the shooting on administrative leave, which is normal procedure, according to the release. The deputies will remain on administrative leave until an internal review is completed, the sheriff’s office said.
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.
