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Vehicle pursuit crosses state line, leads to officer-involved shooting in Lancaster County

The pursuit started south of Monroe, North Carolina. A Union County Sheriff's Office deputy followed the vehicle to Lancaster County.

LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating after a burglary call led to a vehicle pursuit crossing the state line, and ended with an officer-involved shooting.

A Union County Sheriff's Office deputy was responding to a home burglary call in the 6400 block of Plyler Mill Road south of Monroe, North Carolina.

Officials say the officer responding to the call was in his car, and was almost hit by the suspect driving away in a car. 

A vehicle pursuit followed and ended on Camp Creek Road in Lancaster County, South Carolina.

"[He] got out the vehicle screaming, 'Shoot me, shoot me," Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey said.

When deputies did not shoot, the suspect reacted.

"He went in his car, told him he was getting in his car to get his gun, and the officer shot him," Cathey said.

The suspect was taken to Monroe Hospital. It's still unclear if the suspect actually had a gun. 

The Union County Sheriff said their deputies get trained for situations like these.

"We train to safeguard the community, to safeguard the people who live here, and its also for his safety too," Cathey said. "When he announces, 'I'm reaching out for a gun,' you've about [taken] all the discretion the officer has away."

Neither the suspect's name nor the deputy's name has been released.

The suspect is expected to be ok.

"It's a sad situation," Cathey said. "It's sad for our officers, it's sad for the person that got shot, and it's sad for the community, that have to go through all this"

At this time, Cathey said the deputy involved in the shooting hasn't been placed on administrative leave.

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