New details on ambushed deputies at Carriage Oaks subdivision
COLUMBIA SC (WOLO)–At around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday August 3, deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department were met with gunfire after they responded to what turned out to be a false 9-1-1 call at the Carriage Oaks subdivision in Northeast Columbia.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott held a press conference today to share new details on last week’s ambush. “Very disturbing what we’ve discovered and I think it’s very important that we talk about it today so our citizens can see the danger that our deputies face every single day,” says Sheriff Lott.
When deputies from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department arrived, homeowners told deputies they didn’t make the call and had no dispute. As deputies returned to their vehicles, they were met with gunfire. According to Sheriff Lott, 25-year-old Frederic Westfall made two false 9-1-1 calls to lure deputies to his neighbors’ home.
Westfall, wearing a tactical vest and belt with 15 fully loaded magazines, fired 16 times at deputies with an assault rifle as they left the home. Deputy Joseph Shannonhouse’s vehicle was struck by bullets but no deputies were shot.
Deputy Shannonhouse, Deputy William Beck, and Master Deputy Janson Bell couldn’t immediately determine where the rounds were coming from and did not return fire. According to Sheriff Lott, after deputies were able to secure the scene, Westfall was found dead by a self inflicted gunshot wound in the driveway of his home. Westfall’s rifle had a drum magazine loaded with 41 unfired rounds and one round in the chamber.
Investigators found a map that Westfall had drawn sketching out the floorplan of the home where he lived, including the words “dead pigs” written at the bottom.
Richland County Sheriff’s Department also discovered a second tactical vest with three fully loaded magazines, more than 12 boxes of ammunition, and more fully loaded magazines around the home.
Sheriff Lott says Westfall’s online presence shows no record of his plans to attack deputies. “What we found online doesn’t have anything to do about trying to kill cops. There was lots of communication about getting equipment for Ukraine. Trying to get to Ukraine. Information about Ukraine, but nothing about shooting cops,” says Sheriff Lott.
According to Sheriff Lott, Westfall had no prior criminal or mental health records.
