SLED investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Pickens County
Tuesday, Jul 9, 2024
Agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are investigating an officer involved shooting which occurred on Monday, July 8, 2024, in Pickens County.
The Easley Police Department received multiple 911 calls about a man armed with a baseball bat making threats, shoplifting, then leaving a Tractor Supply Company store. An officer responded to the calls and encountered the man outside a nearby home. The man was armed with an axe. During an altercation, the officer shot the armed man. He died at the scene. Details regarding the identity of the deceased will come from the Pickens County Coroner’s Office. No law enforcement officers were injured. SLED was requested to investigate by the Easley Police Department.
This is an ongoing investigation. As such, no other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time.
SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting (OIS) investigations at the request of the agency involved in the incident or the agency with jurisdiction. When requested to investigate an OIS, SLED’s goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation as timely as is possible under the circumstances. SLED agents will conduct interviews with all potential witnesses in this matter. Further, SLED will collect all relevant evidence and will forensically test such evidence as needed. Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors.
The incident in Pickens County was the 24th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024. This is the 2nd officer involved shooting for the Easley Police Department this year.In 2023, there were 43 officer involved shootings in South Carolina. The Easley Police Department had no officer involved shootings last year.
