LCSO deputy shoots car-theft suspect in Woodruff
An alleged vehicle theft and chase led to the suspect in the theft being shot by an off-duty Laurens County Sheriff’s Office deputy Sunday morning in Woodruff.
A report of a stolen pickup truck from Kellett’s Quick Stop on S.C. Highway 101 in Gray Court came into Laurens County Dispatch early Sunday morning. The truck was located later in Woodruff where the Laurens County Sheriff’s deputy was returning home after his shift. The deputy offered assistance to the Woodruff Police Department and helped locate the vehicle and suspect, who fled on foot.
The suspect was later found and confronted by officers. According to reports, the suspect pulled a gun. The LCSO deputy at first fired a Taser, but only one prong connected with the suspect. During the ensuing altercation, the deputy shot the suspect.
No details were released as to the identity or condition of the suspect, who was transported to a hospital, pending an investigation. No law-enforcement officers were injured in the altercation.
The S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating the shooting incident. It is the fourth shooting incident involving law enforcement officers in the state in 2018 and the first involving a Laurens County law enforcement.
