Four city police officers and three sheriff’s deputies have been wounded during an active shooter incident in Florence, South Carolina. The suspect has been apprehended, authorities said.
Florence County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Glenn Kirby confirmed three of his deputies were among the injured, as well as four officers of the city police department. One of the injured officers has died, Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken, told WBTW-TV.
The active shooter emergency was declared just before 5 pm local time, and the authorities reported the capture of the suspect about an hour later. The nearby West Florence High School was locked down as a precaution.
**PICTURES FROM SCENE: Five law enforcement officers shot in Florence County. Follow our sister station reporter @TonyaWPDE for continual updates. West Florence High School is on lockdown. Our @carolinebTV is heading there now. #scnews pic.twitter.com/PM8ode0BCK
— Ashley Blackstone (@ashblackstone) 3 October 2018
Some of the officers were “seriously” injured, Florence city spokesman John Wukela told reporters. No further information was given about the condition of the wounded officers, the identity of the suspect, or the circumstances of the incident. "The fire was being shot all over. The way the suspect was positioned his view of fire was several hundred yards. So he had an advantage," Mike Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff's Department noted.
Active shooter suspect in custody in Florence County, SC; 5 officers have been shothttps://t.co/iX7yBU0vPI pic.twitter.com/KOBE3lkV6l
— KSWO 7NEWS (@KSWO_7NEWS) 3 October 2018
A heavy police presence remains in the area, as the scene is being investigated.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Florence Police Department tonight, in South Carolina. We are forever grateful for what our Law Enforcement Officers do 24/7/365. https://t.co/ZwDmDthItD
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 4 October 2018
President Donald Trump and the Governor of South Carolina, Henry McMaster, commended the bravery of the law enforcement agents, tweeting their condolences to the families of the victims of Wednesday's shooting.
Florence is a city of approximately 40,000 residents at the junction of interstates 20 and 95, east of Columbia and north of Charleston
MULTIPLE OFFICERS SHOT: Active shooter incident developing in Florence, South Carolina, emergency management agency says: "We are advising everyone to stay away from this area."pic.twitter.com/DEXPTxVfje
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) 3 October 2018
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