Seven police officers were shot, one fatally, on Wednesday afternoon in a residential neighbourhood in South Carolina, according to reports.
Florence County Sheriff’s deputies were executing a search warrant on a house in the area when a man opened fire, CNN reports. He then “barricaded himself in the home with children” during an ensuing two-hour stand-off.
Three county sheriff’s office deputies and four city officers were shot after reinforcements were called to the scene, Chief Deputy Glen Kirby told reporters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
One officer was killed, and the other officers’ conditions remains unclear, the BBC reports. Police said all the children were now safe.
The suspect was taken into custody after surrendering to police, said Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone.
“These officers went there unknowing the firepower this suspect had. They thought it was a random search warrant,” Boone told a press conference. “Fire was being shot all over. The way the suspect was positioned, his view of fire was several hundred yards. So, he had an advantage.”
The police officer who died was identified as Terrence Carraway. City of Florence spokesman John Wukela said that Carraway, 52, had recently received an award commemorating his 30 years of public service, CNN reports.
City police Chief Allen Heidler described his fallen colleague as “the bravest police officer that I have ever known”.
“Today will mark a very horrific day in the annals of the Florence Police Department,” Heidler said. “Today, we lost a good friend of mine, an officer that I’ve known for 30 years.”
President Donald Trump tweeted that his “thoughts and prayers are with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department”.
-
Libya's 'curious' football cup, played in Italy to empty stadiumsUnder The Radar 'Curious collaboration' saw Al-Ahli Tripoli crowned league champions in Milan before a handful of spectators
-
What taxes do you pay on a home sale?The Explainer Some people — though not many — will need to pay capital gains taxes upon selling their home
-
Schools: The return of a dreaded fitness testFeature Donald Trump is bringing the Presidential Fitness Test back to classrooms nationwide
-
Tourist sparks bomb alert after accidentally ordering a 'grenade'Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Green man will stay on longer for fat Britsfeature And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
George Floyd legacy: what has changed in the US three years onfeature Police officers are more accountable but has ‘white empathy’ hit a wall?
-
How your laughter shows when you’re in lovefeature And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
US elite crime-fighting units: a recipe for trouble?feature Tyre Nichols’ death in Memphis highlights the dangers of using of elite crime-fighting units
-
What happened to Tyre Nichols?Speed Read President Biden calls for ‘peaceful protest’ ahead of video release showing Memphis police officers fatally injuring 29-year-old
-
3 killed in shooting at Kurdish center in ParisSpeed Read
-
Accused subway shooter to plead guilty to terrorism chargesSpeed Read
