SLED Investigating Officer Involved Shooting in Lexington County
Friday, Sep 18, 2026
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on Friday, September 18, 2026, in Lexington County.
Lexington County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a call for service from a home on Shadowfield Drive in West Columbia. Deputies encountered a man armed with a shotgun outside the home. During the encounter, there was an exchange of gunfire and the man was shot. He remains in the hospital for treatment at this time. No law enforcement officers were injured. SLED was requested to investigate by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
This is an ongoing investigation. As such, no other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time.
SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting (OIS) investigations at the request of the agency involved in the incident or the agency with jurisdiction. When requested to investigate an OIS, SLED’s goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation as timely as is possible under the circumstances. SLED agents will conduct interviews with all potential witnesses in this matter. Further, SLED will collect all relevant evidence and will forensically test such evidence as needed. Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors.
The incident in Lexington County is the 28th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026.
This is the 1st officer involved shooting for the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department this year.
In 2025, there were 45 officer involved shootings in South Carolina.
The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department had no officer involved shootings last year.
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For media inquiries, please email SLED’s Public Information Office: pio@sled.sc.gov
