At least five police officers shot in South Carolina: local media

 

(Reuters) - At least five law enforcement officers were shot in Florence, South Carolina, on Wednesday, an ABC News affiliate reported, citing the local sheriff's office, and there were media reports that one of the officers was dead.

 

No official details on the shooting were immediately available, but the Florence County Emergency Management Department said on Twitter that "the active shooting situation is over and the suspect is in custody."

 

"We are asking everyone to stay away from Vintage Place as there is still an active crime investigation in progress," the tweet said.

 

Multiple news outlets reported that one officer was dead and four were injured.

 

A person answering the telephone at the county emergency department said he was not at liberty to provide further details.

 

WPDE-TV, based in Florence, reported that three Florence County sheriff's deputies and two Florence city police officers were shot in the incident in a residential subdivision known as Vintage Place.

 

Florence, a city of about 38,000 people, is in the heart of the historical Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina that was drenched by heavy rains and flooding from Hurricane Florence.

 

(Reporting by Frank Mcgurty in New York and Bill Tarrant in Los Angeles; Writing by Steve Gorman Editing by Bill Tarrant)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-04

South Carolina shooting leaves one officer dead, four injured: local media

 

Emergency personnel are seen on site in the aftermath of a shooting in Florence, South Carolina, U.S. October 3, 2018, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Derek Lowe/via REUTERS

 

(Reuters) - Five law enforcement officers were shot, one of them fatally, near the city of Florence, South Carolina, on Wednesday, before a suspect was arrested, according to local media and emergency management authorities.

 

No official details on the shooting were immediately available. But the Florence County Emergency Management Department said on Twitter that an "active shooting situation" reported in the area was "over and the suspect is in custody."

 

The tweet advised members of the public to keep away from the crime scene in the residential subdivision known as Vintage Place, on the western edge of Florence.

 

A person answering the telephone at the county emergency department said he was not at liberty to provide further details.

 

Florence-based WPDE-TV, citing the Florence County Sheriff's Office, reported that three sheriff's deputies and two Florence city police officers were shot in the incident, and that one of the city officers had died.

 

WMBF-TV, an NBC News affiliate, also reported that one of the five officers had been killed. The condition of the four other officers was unknown, local media outlets said.

 

Florence, a city of about 38,000 people, is in the Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina that was drenched by heavy rains and flooding from Hurricane Florence last month.

 

At least 100 law enforcement officers swarmed the area around the shooting, ABC News affiliate WPDE reported.

 

"This is simply devastating news from Florence. The selfless acts of bravery from the men and women in law enforcement is real, just like the power of prayer is real," Governor Henry McMaster said on Twitter.

 

(Reporting by Frank McGurty in New York and Bill Tarrant in Los Angeles; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-04