CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Authorities are hoping that dash camera video of a deadly deputy-involved shooting will help in their investigation.
Deputy Evan Cubbage with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office was injured Sunday afternoon during a traffic stop shootout with a suspect along Savannah Highway in the Ravenel area.
Deputy Cubbage stopped a black Crown Victoria while receiving assistance from Deputy Alexander Hodge when the shooting took place shortly before 4:00 p.m.
News 2 was able to see that video of the shooting before it is released later this week. In that video, we can see Deputy Cubbage go towards the passenger side window, but the passenger first shot at the deputies as he was getting out of the car.
The suspect is then seen chasing deputies around the vehicle while they fired back. The deputies can be seen running to the driver’s side of the vehicle and shooting over a woman in the driver’s seat.
Deputy Cubbage was struck by gunfire and taken to the Medical University of South Carolina for treatment. He was released later Sunday night. Deputy Hodge was not injured.
The suspect died at the scene. He was later identified by the Charleston County Coroner’s Office as 28-year-old James Rakeem Pierce from Walterboro.
Officials with the sheriff’s office said the woman who was driving the vehicle was not hurt; however, she was detained and turned over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The Crown Victoria is also in SLED’s possession.
News 2 is still working to learn the suspect’s identity and what led to the traffic stop.
The deputies involved in the shooting are on paid administrative leave, per protocol. While the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the deputy-involved shooting, the sheriff’s office said it conducts an internal investigation into all shootings involving its deputies.
