Hopkins Shooting Highlights Domestic Violence And Suicide In Richland County

New details on the Hopkins shooting Tuesday, highlighting suicide and domestic violence once again in Richland County.

[gtxvideo vid=’kW3A1ElT’ thumb=’http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/kW3A1ElT.jpg’ vtitle=’hopkins folo’]

Columbia, SC (WOLO)– Wednesday, Richland County Sheriff Lott shared Leonard Bradley the deputy coroner for Richland County took his own life after a domestic dispute. Coroner Gary Watts and Sheriff Lott say they are working on healing their family after such a shock.

“Right now, you know, we’re hurting,” Watts said.

Deputies said a litter control officer was on his route in Hopkins. Sheriff Lott said he was in uniform and in his county-issued car when he stopped by to visit a female acquaintance. Sheriff Lott said that is when Bradley drove up, had an argument with the two, and then started shooting. Lott said they believe Bradley had a relationship with the woman. 

“You deal with this day in and day out and day in and day out, but you don’t ever become numb to these kinds of things when it affects a family. You don’t become numb when it affects the people that you work with,” Watts said.  Officials believe Bradley shot at the officer multiple times, hitting him in his bulletproof vest, the arm, and his gun so he couldn’t shoot back. After that, officials say Bradley went after the woman who was able to lock herself in the home… that’s when Bradley walked out from the garage and turned the gun on himself.

“A lot of tears have been shed since yesterday. There’s anger, there’s frustration, there’s all kind of emotions that to through this. Those who work at the coroners office will be going through counseling. We’re assisting them with that. Make sure that they’ll address that as an agency,” Sheriff Lott said. 

Both Sheriff Lott and Coroner Gary Watts say they never expected anything like this to happen to someone who once  worked for the Columbia Police department for more than 40 years, as well as the Sheriff’s Department. Someone they considered a very close friend.  

“Shocked, I mean I think all of us were very shocked. And very sad. But also, feeling very fortunate that we didn’t have more people lose their lives. Because I believe that his intention was to kill the female there and also Mr. Brown. And we’re just fortunate he wasn’t able to accomplish that,” Lott said. 

Sheriff Lott said this is tough because it deals with both suicide and domestic violence, but he emphasized this was at no fault of either victim. Lott said Bradley was the aggressor and this was his doing.

“We’re going to get through it. But…. you know, I just wish people would understand if they hear something from somebody, if somebody starts acting a certain way or you see something, tell somebody. Don’t keep it to yourself,” Watts said. 

Richland County is urging people to seek help if they have thoughts of suicide. They referenced the deputy that killed himself last year, and they are working on suicide training. That is what their command staff was doing at the time of the incident Tuesday.