Man armed with multiple weapons held daughter & girlfriend hostage, SC cops say
A domestic violence incident escalated into an armed standoff with law enforcement officers at a Midlands home where a South Carolina man was holding his daughter and girlfriend hostage, according to the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office.
At about 2 a.m. Tuesday, a woman from another state made a call to Newberry County 911 saying that her friend was being assaulted by the friend’s father, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. The assault was happening at a home on St. Phillip’s Church Road, according to the release.
The father, later identified as 50-year-old Prosperity resident Kenneth Coffey, also held his girlfriend against her will inside the residence, the sheriff’s office said. Coffey was armed with multiple weapons, according to the release.
Deputies responded to the home and established a perimeter outside, the sheriff’s office said. Through continued communication with the 911 caller, deputies relayed instructions to the daughter, who was able to climb out of a window and safely escape, according to the release.
Coffey and his girlfriend remained inside the home, the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies learned that Coffey had placed a weapon to the head of both victims, and he also placed the gun to his head, according to the release.
In addition to deputies, members of the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office Critical Incident Response Team and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s K-9 unit were called to the standoff, and they made contact with Coffey, the sheriff’s office said.
Coffey briefly came to the door before retreating back into the home to get a long firearm, according to the release.
At about 4 a.m., Coffey was taken into custody by SLED K-9 and Critical Incident Response Team members, the sheriff’s office said. Information about how Coffey was taken into custody, and if any law enforcement officers entered the home or if any other measures were used, was not available.
Coffey was taken by EMS to an area trauma center for treatment, according to the release. Both victims were also treated for injuries they suffered during the assault, the sheriff’s office said.
Further information on their conditions was not available, but Coffey has since been taken to the Newberry County Detention Center, according to the release.
Coffey was charged with domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, kidnapping and possession of a weapon by a person prohibited, the sheriff’s office said.
Despite the arrest, the incident continues to be investigated.
Sheriff Lee Foster commended the Newberry County 911 telecommunicators for keeping the caller on the line and getting critical information that assisted in rescuing one of the victims and keeping deputy at the scene safe.
Foster also praised the responding deputies and SLED agents for their work while the early morning temperatures were in the teens.
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