LCSD

A Lexington County man wanted on drug charges was fatally shot Tuesday morning after he threatened officers.

Around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, a fugitive task force consisting of U.S. Marshals, deputies from Lexington and Richland counties and Columbia police officers attempted to serve a warrant in the 200 block of Seleta Circle.

Shortly after officers arrived, they made contact with the man who was wanted on two charges of distributing methamphetamine.

After a short foot chase, the man began making threats toward officers. A Lexington County deputy fired his weapon, hitting the suspect. EMS responded and the man was later pronounced deceased by Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher.

The same man is also suspected of initiating a vehicle pursuit with a Lexington County deputy March 30. The chase was terminated after the suspect entered a rural portion of Aiken County and no contact was made with the suspect, according to Sheriff Jay Koon.

“Within the last week we’ve received information that the suspect has made statements that he was not going to go back to jail and if he encountered law enforcement, he was going to take some down with him,” Koon said.

As is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has been brought in to investigate the incident. The deputy is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the SLED investigation and internal review of the incident.