Today, we remember Spartanburg County Rural Police Commission Officer Walker Walter McKinney, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Dyke “A. J.” Coursen, and Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Lance Corporal Dana Tate.
On this date in 1944, Officer McKinney was killed in an automobile accident.
On this date in 2002, Corporal A.J. Coursen and Lance Corporal Dana Tate were shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance call on Riley Road, in Burton, at approximately 4:00 pm. A female had called the sheriff’s office and complained about her and her young child being held against their will by her boyfriend. While the deputies were investigating, they were shot by the boyfriend, who was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and was hiding inside a bedroom closet. Deputy Coursen was killed, but Deputy Tate was able to shoot and wound the suspect before he died.
