SLED releases new information after man armed with axe shot by Easley, SC, police officer

NEWS JUST INTO THE NEWSROOM. SLED HAS RELEASED NEW DETAILS ABOUT A DEADLY SHOOTING INVOLVING EASLEY POLICE OFFICERS. SO POLICE SAY JUST BEFORE 11 YESTERDAY MORNING, OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO A TRACTOR SUPPLY ON ROLLING HILLS CIRCLE. SO POLICE SAY THE SUSPECT THREATENED THE STORE’S MANAGER AFTER TRYING TO STEAL SOME MERCHANDISE SLED, NOW SAYING THAT SUSPECT WAS ARMED WITH A BASEBALL BAT AT THE TIME. INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT SUSPECT THEN WENT DOWN THE STREET. HE GRABBED A GAS CAN AND THREATENED TO POUR GASOLINE ON A 911 CALLER’S VEHICLE. ONCE POLICE ARRIVED, SLED SAYS THE SUSPECT THEN ARMED HIMSELF WITH AN AX. DURING THE CONFRONTATION, AN OFFICER FIRED, ULTIMATELY KILLING THE SUSPECT. SO FAR, INVESTIGATORS HAVE NOT RELEASED THE SUSPECT’S NAME, BUT CO

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Tuesday released new information one day after officials said an Upstate police officer shot and killed an armed man.The name of the man killed in the incident on Monday, described only as in his 20s, has not been released.Officers with the Easley Police Department received multiple 911 calls about a man armed with a baseball bat making threats, shoplifting, then leaving a Tractor Supply Company store, according to Renée Wunderlich with SLED.Easley police previously said they were called at about 10:50 a.m. Monday about a person threatening physical harm to a manager at the store on Rolling Hills Circle.Read more about what Easley police released on the shooting here.An officer responded to the calls and encountered the man outside a nearby home, Wunderlich said. She said the man was armed with an axe.Police previously said the man had a gas can and was threatening to pour gasoline on someone's car.Wunderlich said the officer shot the armed man during an altercation and he died at the scene. She said no other information would be released during the ongoing investigation."The incident in Pickens County was the 24th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024," Wunderlich said. "This is the 2nd officer-involved shooting for the Easley Police Department this year."

EASLEY, S.C. —

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Tuesday released new information one day after officials said an Upstate police officer shot and killed an armed man.

The name of the man killed in the incident on Monday, described only as in his 20s, has not been released.

Officers with the Easley Police Department received multiple 911 calls about a man armed with a baseball bat making threats, shoplifting, then leaving a Tractor Supply Company store, according to Renée Wunderlich with SLED.

Easley police previously said they were called at about 10:50 a.m. Monday about a person threatening physical harm to a manager at the store on Rolling Hills Circle.

An officer responded to the calls and encountered the man outside a nearby home, Wunderlich said. She said the man was armed with an axe.

Police previously said the man had a gas can and was threatening to pour gasoline on someone's car.

Wunderlich said the officer shot the armed man during an altercation and he died at the scene.

She said no other information would be released during the ongoing investigation.

"The incident in Pickens County was the 24th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024," Wunderlich said. "This is the 2nd officer-involved shooting for the Easley Police Department this year."

SLED releases new information after man armed with axe shot by Easley, SC, police officer

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