A man was fatally shot after during a fight with a Richland County sheriff’s deputy who had been chasing him.
According to a Sheriff’s Department spokesman, Deputy Reginald Grant was on patrol in the St. Andrews area when he spotted a man and woman fighting at a Quality Inn on Garner Lane. Shortly after Grant intervened, officers said he noticed the man acting suspiciously and attempted to search him for weapons.
That’s when deputies say the man took off running. Grant eventually caught up to him 75 yards away along Longcreek Drive. Sheriff’s Department spokesman Curtis Wilson said the suspect began fighting Grant. The man was eventually able to grab the deputy’s Taser and shoot him in the leg.
Wilson said the suspect then tried to grab Grant’s gun, “He could not grab the weapon out of the holster, but was able to gain control of the Taser again and point it at the deputy. That’s when the deputy fired multiple shots at the suspect.”
The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Grant was taken to a local hospital Thursday morning for an injured arm and knee. He is expected to recover. The suspect’s name was withheld until officials could notify his family.
Matt Long contributed to this report.
