An Upstate sheriff's office says a fatal deputy involved shooting in December was justified. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office responded to a home in Travelers Rest the night of December 28th.
The wife of the suspect told the 911 operator she heard a gunshot and thought her husband, later identified as 66 year old Joseph Dominic Mason, was trying to kill himself.
The woman also said her grandkids were present in the home. When Deputies arrived, Mason made a comment about coming outside with his gun.
Body cam footage shows Mason out on the porch armed with a gun when a Deputy arrived. Mason was ordered to get on the ground but refused and then moved to position himself where he could do harm to himself or others. That's when the deputy fired multiple times, Mason was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
SLED has been investigating the incident, which is standard protocol. The Sheriff's Office says an internal investigation ruled that the use of deadly force was justified.
