RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said some of his officers are "fortunate" after he said they were shot at Friday night by a man on a roof.
Lott held a rare late night press conference about an incident that took place in the Briarcliff Subdivision in northeast Richland County. That's in an area near Sandhills.
The sheriff said the incident began around 6:30 p.m. when they got a call from a person who said a neighbor was on the roof of a home. Officers responded to the scene and attempted to negotiate with the person on the roof.
About 10 to 12 homes were evacuated as a precaution as officers set up a perimeter.
Lott said around 8:20 p.m., the man--who the sheriff said was armed with a gun and knife--began firing at deputies. Officers returned fire, but neither officers nor the suspect were hit by gunfire.
Lott said the man paused, then began firing again, including at a police drone over the home. At that point, the sheriff says they used tear gas in an effort to get the man to come down.
"Our deputies showed a lot of restraint," Lott said.
Lott said the man came down off the roof but then ran and jumped over a fence. Officers chased him down and tasered him several times. At that point, he was taken to the hospital.
Lott said the man did not suffer any serious wounds. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
When asked by reporters, Lott said it's possible this was a mental health issue, but he's not sure. He said the man will be evaluated, and a determination will be made if he'll be taken to a mental health facility or jail. If he's brought to jail, Lott said the man would likely face charges of attempted murder.
Lott did not identify the person because that man is not facing charges.