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The Darlington County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) released a statement announcing a fatal officer-involved shooting involving one of its deputies which occurred at 1:30 a.m. EDT on Tuesday (July 1, 2025).
According to DCSO, two deputies responded to a residence on Old Timers Court in reference to a wanted individual. Upon arriving at the residence, the two deputies were ambushed.
Deputy Devin Mason, 27, succumbed to his injuries. Suspect Cameron Ray Dennett, 25, was also killed during the ambush. The other deputy was transported to a local hospital for treatment and remains in stable condition, while another suspect, 28-year-old Kristen Porter, was apprehended on scene.
“Today, we mourn the loss of one of our own, Deputy Devin Mason,” said DCSO Sheriff Michael August in a statement. “This is an incredibly sad day for Devin’s family, the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office and the entire community we serve”
Mason began his career with DCSO in 2024 and graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) on March 28, 2025. He had only just successfully completed his field training last week.
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Porter had active warrants for criminal conspiracy and forgery. She is currently booked at the Florence County detention center.
Dennett — who was prohibited from having a firearm — also had active warrants for criminal conspiracy and forgery.
In 2019, Dennett faced a cluster of charges when deputies pulled him over for a traffic violation, but smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Deputies searched the vehicle and located approximately 68 grams of cocaine, 58 morphine pills, two oxycodone pills, 2.5 alprazolam pills and half a gram of marijuana. Upon searching Dennett’s clothing, deputies also found .2 grams of meth and .1 grams of cocaine.
In 2021, Dennett was charged for possession of meth or cocaine base, first offense and possession of marijuana, first offense – which resulted in a bench trial where he was found guilty and ordered to pay a $615 fine.
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A pattern of leniency has consistently followed Dennett:
- Nine out of ten drug-related charges were either dismissed or reduced to minor infractions.
- Multiple second-offense charges (which should carry enhanced penalties) were dismissed or treated as first offenses.
- Despite being indicted on trafficking and distribution charges, Dennett served no prison time, with just 9 days credited across all guilty pleas.
- Released on bond repeatedly, often with support from family or commercial bond entities — even after multiple arrests within months.
Per DCSO policy, the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been requested to investigate the officer-involved shooting (OIS).
SLED confirmed in a statement (.pdf) that its agents were conducting a “thorough and independent criminal investigation” into the shooting. According to the agency, this was the 28th OIS in the Palmetto State this year and the first OIS involving the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office.
This is a developing story. Count on FITSNews to provide updates as additional details become available.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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