On March 4th at approximately 9:50AM, deputies responded to a residence on Mountain Creek Road in Gray Court in reference to a domestic dispute among two individuals.
"I would like to thank our SWAT guys for always being ready and willing to protect. Thank you to SLED and DNR for your assistance today. The outcome today certainly could have been different and I’m thankful no one was hurt.” -Sheriff Don Reynolds
SLED INVESTIGATING OFFICER INVOLVED
SHOOTING IN LAURENS COUNTY
Agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are investigating an officer involved shooting which occurred on Monday, March 4, 2024, in Laurens County. Deputies with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) responded to a call for service from a home on Mountain Creek Road in Gray Court, SC. When deputies arrived, they encountered an armed woman. She barricaded herself inside the home. Following an exchange of gunfire, the LCSO requested the SLED SWAT team. Following negotiations with SLED SWAT and LCSO SWAT, the subject exited the home and was arrested without incident. No one was injured. Laurens County Sheriff’s Office charged the subject, Mollie Mischelle Shephard, 50, with Breach of Peace and two counts of Attempted Murder. Shephard was transported to the Laurens County Detention Center. SLED was requested to investigate the officer involved shooting by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. This is an ongoing investigation. As such, no other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time. SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting (OIS) investigations at the request of the agency involved in the incident or the agency with jurisdiction. When requested to investigate an OIS, SLED’s goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation as timely as is possible under the circumstances. SLED agents will conduct interviews with all potential witnesses in this matter. Further, SLED will collect all relevant evidence and will forensically test such evidence as needed. Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors. The incident in Laurens County was the 9th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024. This is the 1st officer involved shooting for the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office this year. In 2023, there were 43 officer involved shootings in South Carolina. The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office had 2 officer involved shootings last year. A copy of this news release is also on SLED’s website: www.sled.sc.gov ###
