Officer-involved shooting in Oconee

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating an officer involved
shooting that occurred during the evening of Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Oconee County, SC. The
Oconee County Sheriff’s Office requested the SLED investigation.
Deputies from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call, regarding a welfare
check of an apartment resident, on Gail Court in Seneca. When deputies arrived, they encountered
a man who set fire to his apartment. When the armed man exited his apartment, there was an
exchange of gunfire between the subject and a deputy. The man ran to a nearby residence where
the homeowner of the residence shot the subject during an encounter. The subject was detained
and taken to a hospital. No deputies were injured during the incident.
The encounter with the subject and the homeowner is being investigated by the Oconee County
Sheriff’s Office.
This is an ongoing investigation. As such, no other information about the case will be disclosed
by SLED at this time.
SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting (OIS) investigations at the request of
the agency involved in the incident or the agency with jurisdiction. When requested to investigate
an OIS, SLED’s goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation as timely as is
possible under the circumstances. SLED agents will conduct interviews with all potential
witnesses in this matter. Further, SLED will collect all relevant evidence and will forensically test
such evidence as needed. Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be
summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors.
The incident in Oconee County is the 29th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2025.
This is the first officer involved shooting for the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office this year.
In 2024, there were 45 officer involved shootings in South Carolina.