West Columbia Police Officer Shot

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West Columbia, SC ( WOLO ) – – UPDATE: Authorities say the suspect in Tuesday’s officer involved shooting is in police custody, while the officer remains in stable condition. Tuesday afternoon, dozens of police officers swarmed Hudson Street in West Columbia after a police officer was shot in the line of duty. West Columbia Police Chief Dennis Tyndall says the incident started when 3 officers went to serve 51-year old William Kernan with a bench warrant for failing to appear in court for minor violations. “When they were talking to him, trying to get him to surrender himself, he put his head inside the window and fired a shot through the wall and struck the officer in the head,” said Chief Tyndall. Chief Tyndall says Kernan hit officer James Holland and then it took Kernan more than 2 hours before surrendering to police. Chief Tyndall says Kernan is no stranger to authorities, due to several minor violations, including those in the bench warrant. “We’ve had some run-in’s with him in the past,” explains Chief Tyndall, “I can’t say what you can expect and what you don’t expect, we certainly handle him with kid gloves because he has had aggravated behavior toward law enforcement before.” In fact, one neighbor says he was not surprised when he saw officers outside. “I knew right away it was the gentleman down the street because they are down there all the time with him,” said resident Harry Lester. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is in charge of the investigation and it remains on-going. Meanwhile, Officer Holland is in stable condition. Law enforcement is on the scene of an officer involved shooting in West Columbia. A spokesperson for the West Columbia Police Department tells ABC Columbia News an officer was shot and was transported to a nearby hospital. Agencies are on the scene near the Gervais Street Bridge and Hudson street. West Columbia Police Chief Dennis Tyndall says the suspect, 51 year old William Kernnon surrendered to authorities at 4:00 Tuesday afternoon. Tyndall says the officer was serving a bench warrant at the time of the shooting. The West Columbia chief says the officer was shot in the head but is listed in stable condition.