COLUMBIA, S.C. — A Columbia Police Department officer has been released from a hospital after an overnight officer-involved shooting.
Around 3 a.m. on Saturday, an officer who was on patrol in the Broad River Road area initiated a traffic stop on a Dodge SUV at the Food Lion parking lot located at 1013 Broad River Road, according to law enforcement.
An additional CPD officer and a Richland County Sheriff’s Department deputy provided back up to the initiating officer.
After a check of the driver’s name and vehicle information, officers confirmed that Legette was driving under suspension and had two outstanding CPD warrants from an August burglary. The driver was Sir Brandon Legette, 29.
According to CPD, Legette ignored repeated commands from the officers to get out of the vehicle. When the officer tried to remove Legette from the vehicle, the suspect is accused of driving off with the officer partially inside of the vehicle.
The officer was dragged several hundred feet around the parking lot, while attempting to get Legette to stop the vehicle.
Moments later, the vehicle drove down an embankment at the back of the store, with the officer still struggling with Legette. During the struggle, the officer fired his weapon striking Legette in the head causing a serious injury.
Back-up officers secured Legette and rendered aid to both Legette and the officer.
The officer received non-life threatening injuries and was treated at a local hospital and released a short time ago.
According to law enforcement, Legette remains at the hospital under law enforcement guard.
During a search of the suspect’s vehicle, officers recovered a firearm that had been reported stolen from another jurisdiction in South Carolina.
Also at the time of this incident, Legette was on bond for an unrelated 2018 charge of domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature and unlawful neglect of a child.
SLED is conducting the officer-involved shooting investigation. CPD is conducting a concurrent criminal investigation of potential crimes committed by Legette during the traffic stop. CPD’s Office of Professional Standards, Internal Affairs Unit will also complete an administrative review of the incident.
The involved officer will be on administrative duty with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
This is a developing story. We will update the story as we learn more details.