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Another officer involved shooting is under investigation by agents of the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The latest incident is the ninth of the year, according to the agency.
The shootout in question took place in Laurens County on Monday, March 4, 2024. Despite an exchange of gunfire between a suspect and law enforcement, no one was injured.
The incident resulted in the arrest of Mollie Mischelle Shephard of Gray Court, S.C. Shephard, 50, is facing two counts of attempted murder and one count of breach of peace. She remains incarcerated at the Laurens County detention center after being denied bond by a magistrate on Tuesday.
According to police, Monday’s incident began with a call for assistance due to an argument between two females at Shephard’s residence – located on Mountain Creek Road in Gray Court. Responding deputies from the Laurens County sheriff’s office helped a woman safely exit the residence – but Shephard allegedly barricaded herself inside.
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As deputies attempted to speak to Shephard, she allegedly fired on them – and one of the officers returned fire.
Lexington deputies requested the assistance of SLED’s SWAT team. Following negotiations, Shephard gave herself up to authorities and was taken into custody without further incident.
In September 2021, Shephard was arrested and charged with five counts of ill treatment of animals. Those charges were dropped by the solicitor last month.
SLED investigates officer involved shootings as a matter of protocol in the vast majority of local law enforcement jurisdictions in the Palmetto State – presenting independent, investigative reports to the solicitor with jurisdiction over the county or municipality where the shooting transpired. In this instance, that would be S.C. eighth circuit solicitor David Stumbo.
This is the first officer involved shooting in Laurens County this year. In 2023, the Laurens County sheriff’s office was involved in two shooting incidents.
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THE RELEASE …
(SLED)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher, and author whose investigative work can be found in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world – most recently in the Parisian newspaper Le Monde and a German documentary for ProSieben. Lyons also appears in Citizen Sleuth – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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