RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Authorities have arrested a man at the center of an hours-long standoff in Richland County that began on Saturday afternoon and continued into the following day.
According to a spokesperson for the Richland County Sheriff's Department, deputies were called to the 100 block of Sunderland Drive around 5 p.m. to reports of gunfire. Deputies found 30-year-old Bryce James Locklear on his porch as they arrived at the house. But the sheriff's department said that, as the deputies approached him, Locklear entered his home and refused to come out.
Authorities said the deputies found multiple fired rifle rounds in front of the home. The department's Special Response Team soon arrived, and law enforcement communicated with Locklear for several hours, during which time he allegedly threatened to shoot at deputies.
The sheriff's department said the suspect fell silent during the early morning hours on Sunday, and deputies initially believed he had fallen asleep. However, as they began to leave, Locklear allegedly came out of the home with a high-powered rifle and opened fire before going back into the house.
The Special Response Team responded by deploying gas into the home. Locklear came out of the house on the back side with the rifle, but deputies were able to arrest him. Officials said there was no one else at the home at the time.
Deputies charged Locklear with aggravated breach of the peace. Authorities took him to the hospital for treatment and then to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where, as of early Sunday afternoon, he remained.
