Officer Involved Shooting Richland County

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– “It was an operation that was a plague on this community, the neighbors were calling,” says Sheriff Leon Lott, Richland County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday, Sheriff Lott spoke about a shooting that ended with an accused drug dealer arrested. “We know he was selling to kids in school,” says Lott. Lott says, Tuesday morning a call came in about a deal on Battleford Road. I gave the assignment to our drug suppression team,” says Lott Around 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, officers reported seeing the suspect, Tyheen Payne’s car at the intersection of Marley Drive and Broad River Road. “Had one care in front, one car in back. The uniform officer got out, another uniform officer got out and attempted to get the subject to stop. He put the car in drive and attempted to run over one of our deputies,” says Lott That’s when one of the deputies opened fire, striking the vehicle. “We know the suspect was shot at least once in the forearm,” says Lott A chase ensued. “As the car was coming, he was throwing drugs out the window and we found drugs along the roadside,” says Lott A further investigation, back at what is believed to be Payne’s apartment, revealed more. “We found another male and three female juveniles,” says Lott A gun and drugs were reportedly in plain view. “My son has graduated from middle college, he is a student. He works certain jobs, everyone in his home does do work ma’am. I’m saying whatever it is, he’s innocent until proven guilty,” says Diane Payne, suspect’s mother “You never know what your kids do behind closed doors or what they do away from you. But, I’m quite sure the law will show and prove what’s going on here today,” says Payne And, she denies the claim her son tried to run over a deputy. “That’s not my son at all, because he always stops. Every week he’ll call me, Mom they pulled me over again. And any of these officers know, why are you harassing him? Why are you pulling him over? They’ll give him a little ticket for nothing and let him go,” say Payne An investigation is ongoing.