Man Shoots Himself – Fights Law Enforcement in Johnston

A twenty-four year old Johnston man shot himself in the neck and then proceeded to fight with law enforcement who were attempting to save his life, Thursday morning, July 14.  According to an Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office report on the incident, a relative of the suspect came to the Johnston Police Station Thursday morning to report that the subject, whom she described as having a mental condition and  as being on drugs, was at her residence acting wildly.  She also reported that the man was in possession of a firearm.  The relative stated that she was afraid the man might hurt her, himself, or other including law enforcement.  As such, deputies with the ECSO reported to the JPD to offer assistance.  As the two agencies were being briefed on the situation, two men were at the residence trying to calm the subject and to get him to turn over the firearm.  The relative at the JPD had been on contact with at least one of the other men by text while at the station.  However, when a period of time passed in which no other texts were received, law enforcement relocated to the residence with, as the report states, the intent of placing the subject in emergency protective custody.

At the residence, the law enforcement agencies surrounded the home.  A JPD officer who responded to the scene told The Advertiser in an interview that when law enforcement arrived on the scene, the subject, who was under a carport area of the home, had his firearm out and in his hands.  As law enforcement approached the scene, the subject shot himself in the neck.  The JPD officer told how he and other law enforcement personnel then rushed to the man, who had fallen to the ground, to apply pressure to this wound and to perform life saving measures.  Describing what happened next, the JPD officer said, “I’ve never seen anything like it.“  The subject jumped up from the ground and became combative, throwing one officer “jujitsu style” to the ground.  The subject was ultimately subdued, preventing him from causing any further harm to himself or others.  He was transported by ambulance to receive medical treatment for his self-inflicted wound.

It must be noted, as it was told to The Advertiser, that during this situation, children were playing in nearby yards and a church about 40 yards away from this scene was having a function.  Also, due to his injury, the subject in this incident was bleeding heavily from his self-inflicted wound.  As a result, responding officers were covered in his blood, so much so that the man’s blood was described to The Advertiser was being everywhere — even in an officer’s boot.  These officers, however, as do officers everywhere and every day, rushed into this scene to protect this man and those nearby with little or no regard for their own safety.  As such, harm only came this day to the subject and those responding officers.  As to this harm, as for as the subject goes, no official reports were available on his condition, but The Advertiser was told that reports are that the subject is expected to survive.  As for the officers in this incident, procedures in place after such an exposure have now begun.

Law Enforcement Responds to Attempted Suicide

The Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Johnston area residence Thursday night, July 14, in reference to an attempted suicide.  According to an ECSO report, a woman reported that her common law husband had begun to get angry during the afternoon hours on Thursday and had made several comments about committing suicide.  However, the woman stated the man had made such comments in the past and not acted on them.  The woman reported that the subject left their residence in his vehicle later in the day.  The woman, who had watched to see in which direction he went, later found him on farm property owned by a relative.  Noticing his truck near a tree in the field, the woman neared the scene and found the man slumped over on his knees with a rope around his neck.  The reported details that the woman stated that she made several attempts to untie the rope and to pick the man up.  Initially unable to free the man, she called for help but was finally able to get the subject loose from the rope before help arrived.  The man was transported by EMS from the scene and was later airlifted to MCG for medical treatment.  The woman reported that the man was not under the influence of alcohol.  There was no further information available on the man’s condition.

Dog at-Large Kills Pet

A one and a half year old female Maltese dog was killed in her owner’s yard Thursday evening, July 14.  According to a report filed with the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office, the woman stated that a large black male Rottweiler or possibly pitbull mixed dog attacked her smaller dog while her dog was in her yard.  The woman’s dog died as a result of injuries sustained in that attack.  The woman requested that law enforcement attempt to locate the attacking dog and possibly its owner.  However, according to the report, attempts were made, but deputies were unable to locate the dog or its owner.  The dog killed in this attack was valued at $700.  This case has been forwarded to the ECSOs Animal Control Division for further investigation.