SC Criminal Justice Academy to honor fallen deputy

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The latest class at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy is getting ready to graduate, but not without honoring a peer who graduated seven classes ago.

Academy graduates plan Friday to give a legacy gift to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office in honor of 29-year-old deputy Roger Rice, who died in the line of duty last week.

Rice graduated from the academy in February after working in the county jail.

Authorities say Rice was trying to arrest a murder suspect when he was shot on July 14 in Clinton.

U.S. Marshal Kelvin Washington is the guest speaker for the graduation.