Authorities: Officer fired at car; thought driver was trying to hit himBy Noah Haglund (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Monday, August 11, 2008
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Authorities said a Folly Beach Public Safety officer fired his gun at a car that tried to run him over during an attempted traffic stop near West Arctic Avenue and Second Street around 4 a.m. Monday. Watch » FOLLY BEACH — A public safety officer fired his gun at a car that he thought was driving toward him during an attempted traffic stop here early this morning, authorities said. The events unfolded at West Ashley Avenue and Second Street shortly before 4 a.m. Public Safety Chief Terry Boatwright said the officer left his vehicle, faced the car and put up his hand to order the driver stop. Instead, the driver appeared to speed up, headed straight at him. "He, in self defense, fired several shots toward the vehicle," Boatwright said. "The officer was fairly confident that he hit the vehicle." Authorities, though, were unsure whether any bullets hit the car. There were no injuries to the officer, the chief said. The driver sped away. Tom Duncan was fast asleep at his home at Second and West Ashley when blaring sirens headed toward the west end of the island woke him up at 3:55 a.m. Three minutes later, the property manager heard the sirens again, then five gunshots. He ran to the French doors and peered out in time to see a police cruiser make a three-point turn and speed back toward Center Street, the city's main drag. "I'm sure I heard five" shots, Duncan said. "It's not unusual to hear sirens, but it's definitely unusual to hear gunshots." The State Law Enforcement Division was investigating at the request of Folly Beach officials, standard practice in an officer-involved shooting. Authorities were searching for a late-model white Cadillac sedan. Boatwright said Charleston County sheriff's deputies tried to pull over a matching vehicle on James Island a short while later, but were unable to catch up. Deputies spotted the Cadillac on Eugene Gibbs Street, Hunley Avenue and Ellis Oak Avenue, sheriff's Maj. John Clark said. Boatwright said police initially tried to stop a car speeding onto Folly Beach. The car eluded them until the officer tried to stop it near West Ashley and West Arctic avenues immediately before the officer fired. A detailed description of the car was not available. Boatwright said nobody got a good look at the person behind the wheel. The chief said that had the car hit the cruiser, it would have caused the officer serious injury. He declined to name the officer, but said he was a veteran who has worked with the agency for several years. Check with Charleston.net for more details later today. |
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Comments
This article has 10 comment(s)
Posted by willie08 on August 11, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Something about this story doesn't seem right.
I would think that shooting the driver of the car would be a disaster waiting to happen, as he would most likely crash the car uncontrollably, and possibly REALLY kill somebody.
Horrible judgement on the part of the officer.
Posted by suec on August 11, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How has he "eluded" LEO so many times?
Posted by yeayea on August 11, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
folly beach cops = north charleston cops
Posted by cfrulla1 on August 11, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
1st of all, you fire "several shots" and none hit disable the car or driver....hmmmm..Back to rangemaster for this cop...and then you cant catch up to the caddilac on Folly Road in a police cruiser?!?! A little weird to me since there is only one road leaving the island
Posted by downtownsurvivor on August 11, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
First of all he was a Trigger Happy Public Safety officer! The driver did the right thing and sped off. The Officer would have probably shot him dead and get away with it!
Posted by green123 on August 11, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
folly cops are getting just like the rest of them. about a year ago there was an article about how the newer cops on folly are treating every situation like a major problem and are too power happy.
Posted by BKLYNIRISH on August 11, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Judging by some of these comments, it would appear that ignorance is alive and well.
Posted by bpwnz on August 11, 2008 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If not the caddy, I want to know what did get shot.
Posted by eastartic on August 11, 2008 at 8:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It was probably officer Kale. He was on duty last night. He has a serious attitude problem and is extremely volatile.
With that said, it takes a lot to strap on a badge on a daily/nightly basis. I just want to make sure that pulling out a weapon and firing into the night was his last option available.
Posted by farfallaspeaks on August 11, 2008 at 10:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Did he have flashing blue lights? What if the guy just didn't see him? This story leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
Why didn't he get back into the car and chase him down?
How is shooting at him going to save his life?
It seems like it would make his car swerve out of control and crash, possible killing someone else, or running into a house.
This story doesn't make sense, and if it doesn't make sense, it's usually a lie.
If I was shot at by the police for no reason, you better believe I would keep running.