SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. —
A Sumter County Sheriff’s Deputy was killed in the line of duty Tuesday while serving an eviction notice.
Cpl. Andrew Gillette has been a part of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office since 2013. Cpl. Gillette was shot and wounded Tuesday morning during an officer-involved shooting and was taken to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.
Gillette was 37 years old and had been a deputy since 2013. He had a wife and an 11-year-old son.
According to the sheriff’s office, Cpl. Gillette was a full time deputy for almost six years, and had been a reserve officer for three years. At the begging of 2018, he began working in the Warrants Division.
If you would like to donate to the fundraiser for Gillette's family created by Serve and Connect, click here.
Gillette was retired from the Air Force after a 12-year career and originally came to Sumter after on assignment to Shaw Air Force Base. The California-native married a ‘local’ girl and stayed here, according to SCSO.
In a “Meet Your Deputy” post on Facebook, Gillette said that he had gotten into law enforcement to help people.
“I also like the fact that every day is different,” Gillette said. “No two days are ever the same.”
According to the post, when he’s not traveling or learning about local history, Gillette said he enjoyed building model trains.
According to SCSO, Gillette has a family history of law enforcement officers. Many of his relatives, including his great-grandfather, grandfather, uncles and cousins have been a part of law enforcement all over the country.
The Tuesday morning shooting happened at a home at 3120 on the Thomas Sumter Highway, which is between Sumter and Dalzell. Dennis said officers were attempting to serve an eviction order at the home.
Officers say the suspect fired multiple shots, striking Gillette in the chest. No other deputies were injured. Deputies returned fired, killing the suspect.
"Our deepest condolences and prayers are with his family," Dennis said. "Gillette was one who loved what he did. He loved life."