82-year-old accused of beating woman with walker shot by deputies, SC sheriff says
An 82-year-old man accused of beating a woman with a metal walker and pointing a gun at deputies has been charged with attempted murder in South Carolina, authorities said.
Franklin Leon Moss was shot by deputies with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office after pointing a gun at them during the Feb. 27 incident in Inman, authorities said. He was treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and arrested.
The charges against Moss were announced on March 9 and also include pointing and presenting a firearm, third-degree domestic violence, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The incident unfolded when deputies responded to a domestic violence call.
“I got a call about a home that some shots were fired for some domestic issues,” Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright told WSPA. “When we got over there, the deputies already knew that the guy was armed, so they took some tactical positions to make sure everything was good.”
Moss had beaten a woman with a metal walker, injuring her arm while threatening her with “great bodily harm,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit. The victim told deputies she feared for her life and her safety.
Authorities did not disclose the relationship between Moss and the woman.
Moss also aimed a gun at deputies and one or more people, who were not identified, and threatened to kill them, according to the affidavit. Moss fired at least one shot.
“The man came out of the door, stood at the door pointed a gun at our deputies and we returned fire and shot at that point,” Wright told WSPA. “We got a couple of rounds off and thank god none of our deputies were harmed. The guy that was harmed during the shooting was not harmed bad. I am thankful nobody died.”
Moss was booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center and his case will be prosecuted by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, authorities said.
This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 5:12 PM with the headline "82-year-old accused of beating woman with walker shot by deputies, SC sheriff says."
