SLED INVESTIGATING OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY
Agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred on May 31, 2023 in Spartanburg County.
Deputies from the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) went to a residence to serve civil papers for a foreclosure. Following an exchange of gunfire between an armed man, Terrance Gault, 55, SCSO deputies and Spartanburg Police Department (SPD) officers, Gault barricaded himself inside the residence. SPD SWAT responded to the scene and entered the residence. Gault was found deceased inside the residence. No law enforcement officers were injured.
Spartanburg County borders Laurens County to the north-east.
This is an ongoing investigation. As such, no other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time.
SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting (OIS) investigations at the request of the agency involved in the incident or the agency with jurisdiction. When requested to investigate an OIS, SLED’s goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation as timely as is possible under the circumstances. SLED agents will conduct interviews with all potential witnesses in this matter. Further, SLED will collect all relevant evidence and will forensically test such evidence as needed. Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors.
The incident in Spartanburg County was the 14th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2023. This is the 1st officer involved shooting for the Spartanburg Police Department this year. This is the 3rd officer involved shooting for the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office this year.
In 2022, there were 32 officer involved shootings in South Carolina. The Spartanburg Police Department had no officer involved shootings last year. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office had 3 officer involved shootings last year.
