Armed suspect kills himself after Aiken County chase on I-20
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Aiken County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim of a police chase and shooting on Interstate 20 Wednesday evening in Aiken County.
According to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, deputies pursued a vehicle in a police chase, where the suspect fired shots while driving westbound on I-20.
The suspect was also throwing drugs out the window, according to deputies.
The pursuing deputy performed a PIT maneuver on the suspect’s car, which resulted in the suspect crashing into a guardrail near Mile Marker 9.
The suspect was barricaded in the vehicle around 8:15 p.m. As of 8:33 p.m., the suspect was deceased, according to Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.
The Aiken County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as 43-year-old Robert J. Johnson II, from Beech Island, who was pronounced dead on the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
He’ll be autopsied Friday in Newberry.
According to officials, deputies did not fire shots while on the scene, and no deputies were injured
Multiple exits were blocked where traffic will be redirected by the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office and South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Aiken County Coroner’s Office are assisting with the investigation.
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