Officer fatally shot at South Carolina regional airport; suspect in custody

FLORENCE, S.C. — One officer was fatally shot Sunday morning at a South Carolina regional airport, authorities said.

Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken said the officer was killed at the Florence Regional Airport, WPDE reported.

Update 8:12 p.m. EST Jan. 5: Von Lutcken identified the officer who was killed as Jackson Ryan Winkeler, 26, of Dillon, WPDE reported. Lutcken said Winkeler was an officer at Florence Regional Airport, the television station reported.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division officials identified the suspect as James Edward Bell, 37, according to WPDE.

Update 12:10 p.m. EST Jan. 5: An official with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Sunday the suspect in the shooting initially fled the scene, but was later taken into custody by Florence County sheriff’s deputies, WPDE reported.

In a news release, the SLED said the male suspect killed an airport public safety officer during a traffic stop at the airport, WBTW reported.

The names of the officer and the suspect have not been released, the television station reported.

Original report: According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, dozens of police officers went to the airport to investigate the shooting, WBTW reported.

Entrances and exits to the airport were blocked, WPDE reported.

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