NEWBERRY COUNTY, S.C. — Newberry County deputies shot and killed a suspect who they say tried to break into a home and fired shots into a home.
The Newberry County Coroner's Office has identified the person who died as 35-year-old David Michael Kitchens.
Sheriff Lee Foster said the incident began Thursday night around 9 a.m. at a home on Little Egypt Road in Whitmire. According to Foster, a person called 911 saying that a man was in the yard beating on their home and firing a weapon. Deputies say while the person was on the phone with 911, the event escalated with the suspect, later identified as Kitchens, trying to break into the home. The caller told deputies they feared the suspect would get into the house.
Deputies say the caller then told them Kitchens was on the back porch and was trying to break into a door and also fired a shot into the house. According to Foster, the person tentatively identified the suspect and provided deputies with the person's name.
At that point, the sheriff's department said Kitchens walked away from the home.
Deputies said Kitchens went to a house on an adjoining property where he lived. A responding deputy approached the house and called for the suspect to come out. The deputy reported seeing Kitchens with a rifle in the doorway, and the deputy asked the suspect to drop the weapon. However, deputies say the Kitchens raised the rifle and pointed it at the deputy. At that point, the deputy fired at the suspect.
Foster said the deputies called for medical assistance and began life-saving measures. However, emergency services found no vital signs when they arrived at the scene. The deputy was not injured.
Sheriff Foster called the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to investigate. Sheriff Foster said in a statement posted on social media that the incident and loss of life were unfortunate but that his deputies have to protect themselves from harm.
The deputy has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in these incidents.