White S.C. deputies open fire at black robbery victim
By WCIV-TV News Published: May 7, 2015 at 12:03 PM PDT

White S.C. deputies open fire at black robbery victim
Scene of the shooting Thursday (Ava Wilhite/WCIV)
HOLLYWOOD, S.C. (WCIV) - A homeowner wielding a gun was wounded by two Charleston County deputies as they responded to a home invasion call Thursday morning in a case of apparent mistaken identity.

The officers are white and the homeowner is black, officials said.

Officials at the scene say two intruders entered the Scott White Road home when the homeowner was in a laundry room. A neighbor called 911.

When officers arrived, the homeowner had picked up a gun to exchange gunfire with the intruders. The two alleged intruders rode away on bicycles, officials said.

The deputies ordered the homeowner to drop his gun, but officials say he did not, so deputies opened fire. He was shot multiple times, reportedly.

County officials said one male patient was taken to Medical University Hospital as a category 2 with potential life-threatening injuries. He has a gunshot wound to the neck, officials said.

State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said shortly before noon that agents were being sent to the home to investigate the shooting.

According to SLED, this is the 17th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2015. In 2014, there were 42 officer-involved shootings, officials said. This is also the second officer-involved shooting of the week in the Lowcountry.

On Wednesday, a Colleton County deputy shot a bank robbery suspect in the hand during a chase in which the suspect reportedly tried to run over the deputy in a car.