SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. – Deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office fatally shot a suspect after he stabbed a sheriff’s K9 during the service of an arrest warrant at a residence, law enforcement officials confirmed.
According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a home in Spartanburg to serve an arrest warrant on Thursday when the situation escalated based upon the man’s response, Fox News Digital reported.
The encounter quickly evolved into a lethal use-of-force when the suspect, identified as Darius L.J. Holcomb, 39, locked himself in a bedroom and threatened deputies with a knife, according to Spartanburg County Sheriff Cpl. John Burgess.
Officials removed a family from the residence and negotiators tried to de-escalate and work with Holcomb to surrender, but the suspect remained non-compliant and hostile.
Despite using chemical agents in one room to get Holcomb to surrender, he refused, according to Burgess.
“Upon arriving, the suspect threatened deputies with a knife,” Burgess said. “The suspect fled to a bedroom and barricaded himself in a bedroom. The family was removed from the residence and negotiations started.”
Deputies eventually deployed K9 Astro to make the apprehension, yet Holcomb began stabbing the dog, Fox reported. As a result, at least one deputy opened fire in order to neutralize Holcomb. He was struck by gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene.
K9 Astro’s harness protected it from puncture wounds and the dog is expected to recover from the encounter, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s statement did not provide any information on the arrest warrant or say whether Holcomb was the person wanted.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating the shooting.
