Aiken County deputy shoots gun-wielding suspect

RIDGE SPRING, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt has requested that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division conduct an investigation into an officer-involved shooting that happened Tuesday night.

At about 8 p.m., deputies responded to 4002 Columbia Highway North in Ridge Spring for a disturbance.

The 911 caller reported that there was an active disturbance and that there was a person armed with a gun.

Just after the deputies arrived at the home, they were confronted by a male armed with a handgun.

MORE | See details on spike in violence across river region

While deputies gave verbal commands to drop the weapon, the male pointed his weapon toward deputies, who responded by firing their weapons.

The male suspect was struck once in his lower torso.

Deputies immediately secured the suspect and render first aid.

Aiken County emergency medical crews took the suspect to an area hospital with an injury that was not life-threatening. There were no other reported injuries.

This is an ongoing investigation. There are no other details available at this time.

The incident in Aiken County was the 17th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2021. In 2020, there were 49 officer-involved shootings in South Carolina. Two of those incidents involved the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.