LATTA, SC (WBTW) – The Dillon County Sheriff’s Office confirms the fatal shooting in Latta is an officer-involved shooting, according to Captain Cliff Arnette.
Captain Arnette reports one person has been killed in the officer-involved shooting, which occurred off Pocosin Road in the Oak Grove Community of Latta, just off of Highway 38.
Dillon County Coroner Donnie Grimsley confirms the person who died is 27-year-old John Wesley Smith, of Latta.
Arnette says two units initially arrived on the scene and then a third unit was called. He says the officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in a case like this. Investigators have not released any information on what led to the shooting.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating this case.
According to SLED, this is the 5th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina this year, and the first involving the Dillon County Sheriff’s Department. There were 48 officer-involved shootings in South Carolina in 2015, but none involved the Dillon County Sheriff’s Department.
