South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police

Charleston Police Department

When Violence Targets Law Enforcement, Every Community Is at Risk

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When Violence Targets Law Enforcement, Every Community Is at Risk

Independence Day should be a time for families, neighbors, and visitors to gather in celebration. Across South Carolina, thousands did just that over the July 4th holiday. But for many law enforcement officers, the weekend was defined not by celebration, but by violence.

From North Charleston to Charleston, Hilton Head to Pageland, officers responded to shootings, assaults, public disorder, and deliberate attacks on the very people and resources entrusted with protecting our communities. While each incident was different, together they tell a troubling story about a growing disregard for law enforcement and the rule of law.

In North Charleston, officers responded to a permitted neighborhood block party after receiving reports of gunfire, fireworks being directed at passing vehicles, and multiple fights. As officers worked to restore order and protect those in attendance, they became targets themselves. Two officers were assaulted, multiple firearms, including automatic weapons, were recovered, and several arrests were made, including arrests involving juveniles. Additional arrests are expected as investigators continue reviewing evidence.

In Charleston, officers responding to disturbances on the East Side during the Independence Day holiday were met with explosives intentionally thrown toward law enforcement. Multiple officers were injured while carrying out their duties to protect the public.

On Hilton Head Island, what began as an altercation between two groups on a crowded public beach escalated into a mass shooting that left eight people wounded. Authorities arrested four teenagers and recovered multiple firearms as the investigation continues.

In Pageland, criminals took aim at another critical component of public safety by intentionally destroying Flock safety camera poles. Those cameras have helped law enforcement solve homicides, recover stolen vehicles, identify suspects in hit-and-run crashes, locate wanted individuals, and generate investigative leads in countless criminal cases. Destroying those tools is more than vandalism. It is an attack on the resources that help keep communities safe.

These incidents occurred in different parts of South Carolina under different circumstances, yet they reflect a common and disturbing trend. Increasingly, law enforcement officers and the tools they rely upon are becoming targets.

Every assault on an officer is more than an attack on an individual wearing a badge. It is an attack on the ability of law enforcement to respond to emergencies, investigate violent crime, protect victims, and maintain order when communities need it most.

The South Carolina Fraternal Order of Police unequivocally condemns these acts of violence. There is no justification for assaulting law enforcement officers who are responding to protect lives and restore public safety. Those who choose to engage in violence against officers, fire weapons into crowds, or deliberately damage public safety resources should be held fully accountable under the law.

It is equally important to recognize the professionalism demonstrated by the officers who responded throughout the holiday weekend. Despite dangerous and rapidly evolving situations, they continued to perform the duties their communities expect of them: protecting lives, securing crime scenes, making arrests, and restoring order under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

Public safety has always been a shared responsibility. Law enforcement cannot accomplish its mission alone. Strong communities are built on mutual respect, accountability, and a shared commitment to rejecting violence in all its forms. Community leaders, parents, educators, and citizens all have a role to play in reinforcing those values and supporting efforts to keep neighborhoods safe.

The events of this holiday weekend should concern every South Carolinian. Violence directed at law enforcement does not stop with the officers involved. It weakens the safety of every neighborhood, every family gathering, every public celebration, and every community that depends on those officers to answer the next call for help.

If law enforcement isn’t safe, the community is not safe.

When Officers Wear Pink

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Each October, South Carolina turns a little brighter. Patrol cars glow with pink lights, officers pin ribbons to their uniforms, and community events fill with reminders of resilience. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is more than a campaign. It is a testament to the courage of survivors, the memory of those lost, and the unwavering solidarity of the people who stand beside them, including the men and women who wear the badge.

In North Charleston, one of the department’s patrol cars has been repainted in bold pink, the word Hope stretched across its doors. It is impossible to miss, whether parked at a community event or rolling down the street. For the officers who drive it, that car is not just transportation. It is a promise. Years ago, when one of their own faced breast cancer, fellow officers formed a quiet motorcade to escort her to treatment. The gesture was simple, but it carried a weight that no words could match: we are with you.

That spirit is mirrored across the state. In Charleston, patrol cars have been fitted with pink halo lights, glowing reminders that compassion has a place in law enforcement. Chiefs and officers alike have joined the Real Men Wear Pink campaign, including Chief Walker in 2024, demonstrating that leadership in uniform also means leadership in empathy.

In Summerville, Captain Chris Cooper has stepped beyond his everyday responsibilities to join Real Men Wear Pink, raising both funds and awareness.

Richland County deputies carry pink badges throughout October, visible symbols of solidarity that go wherever duty calls. In Summerville, Captain Chris Cooper has stepped beyond his everyday responsibilities to join Real Men Wear Pink, raising both funds and awareness. And in Chesterfield County, Sheriff Cambo Streater and his staff wear pink ribbons, small tokens pinned close to their hearts.

These are only a few examples of the many ways law enforcement agencies across South Carolina bring attention to breast cancer during October.

Perhaps the most striking image comes from Easley, where a pink patrol car makes its way through town during community events. At “Ladies Night,” residents line up to sign their names across its surface, survivors, families, and supporters leaving their marks in ink. Each signature is a story. Each story is a reminder that breast cancer touches us all, and that no one should face it in silence.

Perhaps the most striking image comes from Easley, where a pink patrol car makes its way through town during community events. At “Ladies Night,” residents line up to sign their names across its surface, survivors, families, and supporters leaving their marks in ink. Each signature is a story. Each story is a reminder that breast cancer touches us all, and that no one should face it in silence.

These acts may seem simple, a painted car, a badge, a ribbon, but together they form a powerful chorus. They show that law enforcement is not separate from the communities it protects. Officers, too, have mothers, sisters, and daughters who have faced the disease. And some officers have fought breast cancer themselves, balancing treatment with service, drawing on the same courage they bring to the badge. Their perseverance reminds us that the uniform does not make them invulnerable, it makes their strength all the more remarkable.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is often symbolized by pink, but its meaning is deeper than color. It is about unity, resilience, and hope. And when South Carolina’s officers join that cause, they reveal the best of what it means to serve, not only to protect communities, but to walk beside them in life’s hardest battles.

SC Fallen Officers – May 21

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May 21

Today, we remember Lane Police Officer Ernest Simpson Blackmon, Florence County Sheriff’s Office – South Carolina Lieutenant Gary Hanna, and City of Charleston Police Department Officer Perrin Richard “Rick” Love, II.

On this date in 1924, Officer Ernest Blackmon succumbed to his wounds from being shot in the stomach while trying to arrest a gambling suspect.

On this date in 1998, Lieutenant Gary Hanna was killed in a vehicle crash when his patrol car ran off the road and overturned.

On this date in 1999, Officer Love was accidentally shot and killed by another officer as the two officers were being attacked by a man with a knife.

SC Fallen Officers – May 1

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May 1

Today, we remember Greenville Police Department Patrolman Absolom Blythe Hunt and City of Charleston Police Department Traffic Policeman Julian C. Bunch.

On this date in 1932, Patrolman Hunt was shot and killed while attempting to arrest several men on Buncombe Street for several armed robberies. After arresting the two men, three accomplices drove up and opened fire on Patrolman Hunt and two detectives, striking Patrolman Hunt twice. Patrolman Hunt had been with the agency for two years.

On this date in 1932, Officer Bunch was killed when his police motorcycle was struck by a reckless driver at Reid and Nassau Streets at 2055 hours while returning to duty after his meal break. He had been with the agency for four months and was survived by his wife and four children.

SC Fallen Officers – April 21

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Today, we remember City of Charleston Police Department Policeman John Joseph Bean, Jr.

On this date in 1899, Policeman Bean was shot and killed at around midnight while approaching three loitering men. Earlier in the night, he had encountered the men while walking his beat and ordered them to leave. The incident occurred when he returned to the scene and observed them in the same location. Policeman Bean’s murderer was arrested and hanged on August 9, 1899. Policeman Bean was single and survived by his parents.

SC Fallen Officers – April 5

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Today, we remember South Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Corporal David Travis Bailey and City of Charleston Police Department Private First Class Roger Myers.

On this date in 2000, Lance Corporal David Bailey was killed in a vehicle accident while attempting to stop a car for speeding on I-85 in Greenville County.

On this date in 2004, PFC Roger Myers suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after he and several other officers struggled with a suspect wanted on a probation violation.

SC Fallen Officers – February 27

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Today, we remember City of Charleston Police Department Sergeant Henry William Buck, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sheriff Kevin Earl Carper, and Hardeeville Police Department Corporal Mark David Jones.

On this date in 1921, Sergeant H. William Buck was shot and killed while helping a wife retrieve her possessions after a domestic dispute at 7 Ashton Street in Charleston.

On this date in 2007, Deputy Sheriff Kevin Carper was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a suspect who fled during a traffic stop.

On this date in 2005, Corporal Mark Jones was killed in an automobile crash on I-95. He was responding to back up an officer who needed assistance at a local restaurant at approximately 4:20 a.m. During the response, he lost control of his patrol car, traveled off the roadway, and struck several trees in the median.

SC Fallen Officers – January 19

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Today, we remember Rock Hill South Carolina Police Department Police Officer Robert G. Johnston and City of Charleston Police Department Private First Class Dennis Elisha LaPage.

On this date in 1906, Police Officer Robert Johnston was accidentally shot when the .41 Colt revolver dropped from its holster to the floor and discharged.

On this date in 2002, Private First Class Dennis LaPage was shot and killed by a suspect who went on a shooting spree following a three-car accident he was involved in at Cannon Street and Courtenay Drive.