FOREST ACRES, S.C. — Following the robbery of a credit union on Forest Drive Tuesday morning, Forest Acres police officers fired twice at a suspect attempting to flee the scene.
According to the Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia, each law enforcement agency in the state has their own protocol when it comes to the use of deadly force. They train students to defend themselves pending their future agency's specific rules.
Forest Acres Police Chief Gene Sealy said, "Its a pretty broad area. If your life is threatened or others are threatened and the other person has the capability to provide harm to others it would be something that could happen."
The Happy Cafe, located beside Tuesday's scene, brought trays of food out for the officers during the six hours they were confined to Forest Drive.
The business' owner, Sue Hodges, thought the police handled the situation well.
“It appeared that they were just doing a wonderful, thorough job, Hodges said.
"The helicopters were going and the dogs were jumping out. It was a little nerve-wracking when you see AK 47s- or whatever those were- coming out of trucks, and you think ‘there’s a lot of power here.’"
Hodges said she was glad they were able to catch one of suspects that will hopefully lead to more information being revealed.
She says that the situation is going to make them reevaluate some of the security they have in place, but thought that the shots by the officers were warranted.
SLED is the investigating this officer involved shooting while the Forest Acres Police Department is handling the robbery investigation.
According to SLED, this is the fourth officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2019.