WOODRUFF, SC – A Woodruff Police officer has been released from a hospital after he was shot in the arm early Monday morning. The suspect in the shooting has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer.
Sgt. Darrell Dawkins had a bullet go through his arm when he was wounded while police were serving warrants at a home at 535 Harrison Street around 6:20 a.m.
Woodruff Police Chief Alan Bledsoe says Dawkins was the first member of a team of officers to enter the home when he was shot by Dennis Ray Alexander, Junior. Dawkins was wounded as he entered the home from the back door according to the chief.
Dawkins did not return fire because he said he could hear a young child in a bedroom of the home. Bledsoe says Alexander immediately dropped his weapon and said “please don’t shoot” after wounding the officer. He surrendered to police and was taken into custody.
Alexander is also charged with distribution of crack cocaine as is Michael Goggins who was also in the home at the time.
“It’s become a difficult age to be a police officer,” said Chief Bledsoe. “But these officers train night and day to deal with these situations.
Alexander is “a career criminal with several violent crimes on his record.” Both suspects were being held in the Spartanburg County Detention Center.
