Ambush: Seven Officers Injured, One Dead After Chilling Shootout
At least 7 officers were injured and one is dead after the horrific shoot out.
Police were ambushed.
At least seven officers were injured and one is dead after a man carried out an ambush against law enforcement officers on Wednesday, according to WBTW. Fred Hopkins, the alleged suspect, is in custody after the deadly shooting in Florence, South Carolina, but his ‘child assault’ motive has many people sickened by his past and present actions.
Reports indicate that police were trying to serve a warrant on Hopkins, who is 74-years-old, regarding allegations that he had been sexually assaulting a young foster child in his home.
When police attempted to serve the warrant, Hopkins not only reportedly refused, he became very hostile and would not comply with orders from the officers.
Presumably as tensions continued to rise, there was a shoot out that resulted in at least seven officers being injured and one being fatally shot.
A man inside the home was also shot by gunfire, which is believed to have come from the officers engaging in retaliatory fire.
The local sheriff’s department said Hopkins held several children in the home hostage during a two-hour standoff, but surrendered and let them go after speaking with a negotiator.
Here’s a statement from the department:
“Officers went there unknowing the firepower the suspect had. Fire was being shot all over. The way this suspect was positioned, his view of fire was several hundred yards. So he had an advantage. The officers couldn’t get to the ones who were down.”
It’s unclear what Hopkins’ specific motive was for carrying out the ambush, outside of the fact that it appears as if he was guilty of the allegations.
He’s 74-years-old, and was reportedly sexually assaulting a young foster girl that was in his home.
When police showed up to the house to serve a warrant on him, presumably to arrest him or search the property for any evidence, the suspect immediately tried to murder them.
He opened fire, injured at least seven officers, fatally killed one, and injured other bystanders in the area. It is crystal clear to many people that he was guilty of what he has been accused of doing, and he went to extraordinary lengths to evade police and perhaps flee the scene.
He’s currently in custody, likely getting medical treatment at the hospital, and will soon have a hearing before a judge.
Allegations of sexually assaulting a young girl are very, very serious, but attempting to murder police officers is arguably even more serious, and could result in the suspect spending the rest of his life behind bars.
Many would agree he’s a disgusting person who should be charged under the fullest extent of the law given the sickening things he allegedly did to the little girl and for attempting to murder police officers.
