Officer Involved Shooting Near Elementary School in Aiken County

An officer involved shooting today is under investigation in Aiken County. It all started with a report of a suspicious male near the intersection of Columbia Highway North and Beaver Dam Road, near J.D. Lever Elementary School. "The white male was found near the driveway adjacent to J.D. Lever Elementary School. While talking to the suspect, he started a physical fight with deputies. One of the deputies was injured," said Captain Eric Abdullah. Abdullah said the fight ended when the suspect was shot. Officer Involved Shooting Left the Suspect Injured The suspect was treated at the scene until EMS arrived. He was taken to an area hospital where authorities say he is listed in critical condition. The suspect's name has not been released. The deputy was taken to an area hospital by patrol car for treatment of his injuries. He's reported to be in stable condition. The investigation has been turned over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. J.D. Lever was put on lockdown during the incident, but the Aiken County Sheriff's Office says students and staff were never in any danger. Aiken County School District Issues Statement on the Incident "This afternoon, J.D. Lever elevated security protocols due to an incident outside involving law enforcement. At the recommendation of law enforcement, school administration shifted their security stance to "Secure," as outlined by our Standard Response Protocol (SRP) which is implemented when threats or hazards are outside the school building. As the situation escalated, administration enhanced protocols further to a "Lockdown," also detailed in our SRP. During a "Lockdown," not only are doors locked, students and staff move out of sight of doors and windows, turn off the lights, and remain as quiet as possible. J.D Lever's teachers, staff, and students did a wonderful job in following these procedures. Parents and Guardians were notified of the enhanced security procedures and advised to exit the campus and await further instruction regarding afternoon dismissal. Our law enforcement confirmed it was safe to do so, school officials lifted the lockdown, communicated the lockdown was lifted to families, and worked in collaboration with law enforcement to begin afternoon dismissal. As always, the safety and security of our students, staff, and families is our highest priority."