SLED examines deadly Aiken County exchange after deputy injured during vehicle pursuit Monday

A routine call near a busy highway in Aiken County, South Carolina, turned into a violent confrontation Monday afternoon, leaving one deputy wounded and a woman dead. What began with a report involving a vehicle quickly moved through a roadside stop, a brief pursuit and, ultimately, an exchange of gunfire that left the community facing difficult questions. The violence unfolded with startling speed, and uncertainty remained.

The incident began around 2:48 p.m., when Aiken County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to a RaceTrac on Columbia Highway North near Interstate 20 after receiving a report of a vehicle accident. According to Maj. Jason Griffin, the vehicle had already left the scene, prompting authorities to issue a be-on-the-lookout alert while deputies worked to identify where it had gone. The alert gave other agencies a description to watch for. Deputies continued watching for it closely.

Investigators say deputies next went to the location associated with the vehicle’s registration, but the vehicle was not there when they arrived. As deputies were leaving, however, they spotted the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The encounter escalated almost immediately, Griffin said, when the vehicle rammed a patrol car before fleeing, triggering a short pursuit that ended on Scotch Lane. What happened next transformed a traffic encounter into a rapidly changing emergency, before ending on Scotch Lane.

Then the situation took a deadly turn. Griffin said the female driver got out of the vehicle and fired at deputies, striking one deputy in the legs, while deputies returned fire and struck the woman. Both were transported for medical treatment, and the woman was taken to Aiken Regional Medical Centers, where she later died. Authorities continued working to establish the exact sequence of events. Her death was confirmed after she was taken for medical care that afternoon.

For the injured deputy, the aftermath involved an urgent trip to Wellstar MCG Health in Augusta. Griffin said the deputy suffered gunshot wounds to the lower extremities and was in stable condition while receiving treatment. The condition offered some relief amid the seriousness of the shooting, as fellow officers and medical personnel focused on the deputy’s recovery. The injuries nevertheless required continued hospital care. The deputy remained under medical care as the investigation continued at the hospital overnight.

The woman’s death added another layer to an already tense afternoon, but authorities initially withheld her identity. Griffin said her name would be released after family members were notified, leaving investigators to concentrate first on securing the scene and establishing the sequence of events that led from a vehicle-related call to a fatal officer-involved shooting. No additional background was immediately released. Authorities said more details could follow after notification was complete while investigators gathered additional information from witnesses.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, commonly known as SLED, was called to investigate the shooting involving deputies. Its presence is significant because officer-involved shootings in South Carolina are subject to independent investigation when requested by the involved law enforcement agency, with investigators gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses before findings are presented to prosecutors. The investigation remained active Monday. Agents will review evidence and witness accounts collected at the scene during inquiry before reaching conclusions about the shooting.

By Monday evening, the immediate outcome was clear even as many questions remained unanswered: a deputy was hospitalized in stable condition, while the female suspect had died following the exchange of gunfire. The investigation now carries the responsibility of reconstructing the encounter carefully and preserving the facts. Attention now turns to recovery, investigation, and answers for the community as authorities work to establish what happened fully.