SLED investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Spartanburg County
Monday, Jun 3, 2024
Agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)are investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Spartanburg County.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) and the North Spartanburg County Fire Department (NSCFD) responded to a single vehicle collision near I-26 and I-85. The SCHP and NSCFD requested assistance from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). The driver involved in the car crash was found in a wooded area near the crash, but he would not come out of the woods. SCCO deputies went into the woods and encountered the man. During the encounter, deputies shot the man. The man, later identified as Nicholas Daniel Austin Papala, 25, died at the scene. SLED was requested to investigate by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office.
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 Spartanburg County was the 19th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024. This is the 2nd officer involved shooting for the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office this year.
In 2023, there were 43 officer involved shootings in South Carolina. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office had 4 officer involved shootings last year.
