Police reveal images of the justified shooting of a man with arrest warrants

South Carolina - United States. The Greenville County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) has released images of the shooting that took place on May 13, in which GCSO and Homeland Security deputies shot James Edgar Hopkins, a 51-year-old man with warrants for his arrest. active in Spartanburg County. The footage was released as part of a community critical incident report, with Lt. Ryan Flood narrating the events captured by the body cameras of the officers involved.

The event

The shooting occurred near Pine Knoll Drive and Wade Hampton Boulevard. Hopkins was facing warrants for first-degree methamphetamine distribution, heroin/morphine trafficking, and failure to appear in court. When officers attempted to arrest him, Hopkins resisted and stabbed a K9 police dog. In response, officers shot Hopkins, who was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division later charged him with aggravated disorderly conduct, cruelty to a police dog, and resisting arrest with a deadly weapon.

Video Publication

On Thursday, GCSO released video showing body camera footage from four deputies involved in the incident. The video reveals how officers attempted to arrest Hopkins and the moment the K9 attempted to subdue him. It also shows officers shooting Hopkins after he stabbed the dog.

The video begins with agents arriving at Woodlawn Cemetery to assist the Department of Homeland Security in capturing Hopkins. The first body camera image, recorded at 2:58 p.m., shows the officers exiting their vehicles with guns drawn, demanding Hopkins show his hands. Despite the orders, Hopkins slowly walked away from the officers, at which point the K9 handler released the dog to charge him.

Resistance and Use of Force

During the altercation, Hopkins pulled out a knife and stabbed the police dog several times. Despite officers' attempts to subdue him using Tasers and bean bag guns, Hopkins managed to flee across the street. The footage captures Hopkins standing up and brandishing the knife at the officers, who ultimately shot him at least nine times.

Hopkins was heard saying "Kill me, do it" moments before the officers fired. After falling to the ground, Hopkins was handcuffed and taken to the hospital, where he is in stable condition.

Dog Health

After the K9 was stabbed, his handler immediately attended to him by providing first aid. The injured dog was taken to a veterinary hospital and released on May 15, two days after the incident.

Research Conclusion

Greenville Sheriff Hobart Lewis said the Office of Professional Standards determined the officers' actions were justified under the sheriff's office's use-of-force policy. The officers involved were placed on paid administrative leave as part of the protocol and have been cleared of any wrongdoing following an internal review. The officers have already resumed their patrols and no one was injured in the incident.