
UPDATE July 2, 2021 10:24AM - The Greenville County Sheriff's Office issued the following media release regarding an investigation into the Spartanburg shooting incident on Thursday July 1.
(GREENVILLE, SC) – The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an ongoing investigation into a multiagency officer involved shooting incident that occurred on July 1, 2021 in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The incident occurred at 225 Amelia Street in Spartanburg following the suspect, identified as 45 year-old, Shannon Earl Smith, reportedly shooting two people at a nearby park and then retreating to his residence at 225 Amelia St. That incident is being investigated by the Spartanburg City Police Department.
Once at the residence multiple agencies responded including the Spartanburg City Police Department, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division. In addition, SWAT teams from the Spartanburg City Police Department, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and SLED responded to the scene.
During the course of the standoff with law enforcement officers an adult-aged female suffered at least one gunshot wound that appears to be non-life threatening. A deputy with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office was also shot and is expected to recover and a service worker who was working at the residence was shot and killed along with the suspect, Shannon Smith.
As Sheriff Hobart Lewis mentioned yesterday our agency has been requested to take over the investigation of the officer involved shooting as an uninvolved party.
This investigation is still in its very early stages; therefore no further information will be released at this time. With multiple law enforcement agencies involved there are many moving parts to this investigation and we ask for patience as investigators carefully sort through all of the available evidence and conduct a very thorough investigation into the matter.
UPDATE July 2, 2021 7:30AM - Multiple media outlets are reporting that Charter Communications has confirmed that one of its workers was killed in the shooting that occurred in Spartanburg Thursday.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Two public workers repairing a sewer main in Spartanburg were shot by a man who also fired on a deputy Thursday, authorities said.
The shooter was involved in a standoff inside a home that ended after a few hours, but Spartanburg Sheriff Chuck Wright said he didn’t know the condition of the man or if anyone else was inside the house.
“We really don’t know what triggered anything,” Wright said at a news conference late Thursday afternoon. “We literally just secured the house. I don’t know any other details.”
Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said his investigators were called to the home for at least one death but didn’t give additional details.
The man walked up to the workers near Cleveland Park in Spartanburg about 3 p.m., asked them what they were doing and then started shooting, Spartanburg Water spokeswoman Jennifer Candler told news outlets.
The workers were taken to the hospital but are expected to be all right, Spartanburg police spokesman Maj. Art Littlejohn said.
Spartanburg city officers and county deputies were fired on as they rushed to get into a home after the initial shooting because they feared someone might be hurt inside, Littlejohn said.
The deputy who was hit was expected to recover.
“Praise God he was hit in the arm and no other vitals,” the sheriff said.
At least two deputies fired back, and Wright said Littlejohn tore down a bannister to get the wounded officer help as soon as possible.
“He put himself in harm’s way to help our man. Thank you is not good enough,” Wright said.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office will investigate the shooting because it involved State Law Enforcement Division agents as well as city and county officers.