Local man killed in confrontation with deputies April 14
By Bobby Bryant, Editor
editor@newsandpress.net
A Darlington man died April 14 in a roadside confrontation with Darlington County sheriff’s deputies, and SLED is investigating the incident, officials said.
Kenneth Brian Turner, 37, was killed by gunfire from a deputy or deputies, apparently after they responded to reports of an armed man walking around the McIver Road and Old Florence Road area.
Darlington County Coroner Todd Hardee said Turner was pronounced dead at the scene. Hardee said an autopsy on Turner’s body would be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the incident, which is customary in cases of officer-involved shootings. At some point, SLED’s final report on the case will be sent to the office of 4th Circuit Solicitor Will Rogers, and he and his staff will determine whether the deputies acted properly.
Officials are not yet saying exactly what happened in this case, which resulted in the area being blocked to traffic for several hours until the scene was cleared. According to some local media reports, some residents saw deputies confronting an armed man, repeatedly telling him to drop his weapon, then they heard several shots.
No deputies were injured, said Darlington County Sheriff James Hudson. He asked that people “pray for the families of the deceased and the families of the officers” involved.