Holly MatkinAnderson County, SC – Anderson County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) K9 Roscoe died in the line of duty on Aug. 12 after being hit by friendly fire during an encounter with an armed suspect.
The incident began at approximately 10:30 p.m., when 21-year-old Bryan Keith Hamilton and an unnamed 16-year-old girl led ACSO deputies on a pursuit, Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride told WCSC.
According to Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore, the deputies ultimately terminated the pursuit because Hamilton was driving too recklessly, WHNS reported.
Shortly thereafter, Hamilton crashed into a yellow cab new a Lowes store, and he and the juvenile female bailed out and took off on foot, police said.
Deputies chased the suspects into a dimly-lit, wooded area.
As soon as K9 Roscoe engaged with the suspect, the deputies heard a female scream, Shore told WHNS.
At nearly the same moment, deputies spotted the silhouette of a suspect with a gun, followed by a muzzle flash, Sheriff McBride said.
The deputies opened fire, but not before Hamilton fatally shot himself in the head, according to Shore.
K9 Roscoe was hit by friendly fire during the split-second encounter.
“This was a situation that happened in about two-and-a-half, three seconds and the officers, in the interview, [said] felt they were ambushed,” Shore told WCSC.
Sheriff Mc-Bride described the encounter as a “combat-style situation.”
“Deputies returned fire believing they were fired upon in just mere seconds,” the sheriff told WCSC.
Hamilton was pronounced dead at the scene, WHNS reported.
He was hit by several of the officers’ rounds, but the coroner determined those wounds occurred post-mortem.
The 16-year-old girl was airlifted to a local hospital, WCSC reported.
Her condition has not been released.
K9 Roscoe, a three-year-old German shepherd, was rushed to a veterinarian’s office, where he succumbed to his gunshot wounds the following morning, WCSC reported.
He joined the ACSO in 2017, and was certified in tracking, criminal apprehension, and narcotics detection.
K9 Roscoe was named ACSO’s officer of the month just days before the deadly shooting, according to the Independent Mail.
K9 Roscoe
EOW: 8-12-2020
It is with a heavy heart we report that K9 Roscoe has succumbed to his wounds. Rest Easy Hero.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, department and community. pic.twitter.com/FVJH6AjyFf— K9s of Valor (@k9sofvalor) August 12, 2020
Greenville County Sheriff’s office helping with Anderson County Sheriff’s office escort for K9 Roscoe #RIPRoscoe pic.twitter.com/o1aDxR9hOp
— Renée Wunderlich (@ReneeWYFFNews4) August 12, 2020
R.I.P. K9 Officer ROSCOE 💔
Shot in the line of duty 8-13-2020
Condolences to handler & @AndersonSheriff #SC@reddogsusie @WinglessBird_ @SandraK93322487 @samjarvis49 @for_pittys @GoldenBeverley @Janetlynne211 @rollca49 @4paws8 @jijmpel @Hbowman1H @beth_monje @4THEBEEZ2 pic.twitter.com/VaVALAByHF
— DJ Rubiconski (@RevengeBunny) August 13, 2020
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in the loss of K9 Roscoe.
