CHESTER, S.C. — Officials have identified the man who was shot and killed by officers following a high-speed chase in Chester County late Tuesday night.
[IMAGES: High-speed chase leads to officer-involved shooting in Chester]
The shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. on Saluda Road, near the J.A. Cochran bypass.
Authorities said it started as a report of a stolen car from a Super 8 motel in Richburg on I-77. Authorities spotted the vehicle and a high-speed pursuit involving Chester County deputies and Chester police officers began.
(Dustin Case)
The chase ended on Saluda Road near First Street, and Channel 9 crews could see windows on the suspect vehicle that appeared to have been shot out.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division has taken over the investigation and SLED spokesman Thom Berry told Channel 9 that after crashing the car, Dustin Case, 20, pulled a handgun as officers approached. He said one Chester police officer and one Chester County deputy fired.
Case's gun was recovered at the scene, but it's not clear if he fired at officers.
Police aren't saying what caliber of pistol Case had or if it was loaded. Several pounds of meth were found in the trunk of the stolen Ford Fusion.
The officers were not hurt. Berry said one white male officer and one black male officer fired.
The names of the officers involved have not been released, but officials said the deputy has 15 years of experience in Chester and the police officer has been on the force for two years.
Per protocol, the officers are on leave and being offered counseling. The sheriff and police chief said the shooting was justified.
Channel 9 learned that Case has a long criminal record in Greenville County, including pending charges for felony DUI causing great bodily injury, reckless driving, failure to stop for a blue light. He also has past convictions for drugs and resisting arrest.
Haley Estes said she was driving home from college in the middle of the night when she saw the aftermath of the chase and the gunfire.
"It was me and about two other cars, and they said it was only a couple of shots fired. It was a lot shots fired, and they didn't ask anybody if they were OK, they just tried to get us to leave the scene quick," Estes said.
Investigators said cash and drugs were also located inside the vehicle.
Tuesday's shooting was the seventh officer-involved shooting this year in South Carolina.
Case has a long criminal record in Greenville County. He had pending charges for felony DUI causing great bodily injury, reckless driving and failure to stop for a blue light. He also has past convictions for drugs and resisting arrest.
Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.
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