Pickens Sheriff’s Office announcement

The Pickens County Sheriff’s Office has completed the investigation into the fatal shooting of a suspected intruder by an Easley homeowner that occurred last week on Prince Perry Rd.  Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office Friday provided the 13th Solicitor’s Office information to include evidence collected at the scene of the shooting and information gathered during an examination of the deceased.  That information is considered the first step in the process to reach a conclusion regarding the homeowner’s decision to use lethal force as it applies to SC law. The Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the homeowner returned to his residence on the morning of December 14th.  Moments after entering the house, the resident encountered an adult male in the hallway as the subject exited the homeowner’s bedroom armed with multiple firearms taken fromthe bedroom. Following a brief struggle, the homeowner was able to gain control of one of the weapons and fire multiple shots from a rifle in the direction of the suspected intruder. The man was struck with several rounds and subsequently fell onto a wooden deck as he exited the back door of the residence following the shooting. Crime Scene Technicians later found and recovered evidence indicating that the back door to the home had been kicked in and numerous areas within the residence had been searched and rummaged. Also collected, was evidence corroborating the homeowner’s statements that the rounds were discharged while both men were inside the residence. The Sheriff’s Office recovered unrelated stolen property linking the deceased to a residential break-in that had been previously reported to the Easley Police Department.