Bill would require SLED to investigate all police shootings involving death, serious injury

State senators advanced a bill Wednesday which would require all officer-involved shootings resulting in death or great bodily injury to be investigated by the State Law Enforcement Division.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is the only S.C. agency not to routinely turn over investigations of such shootings to an outside agency. Sheriff Leon Lott said last year that his department has the expertise, resources and public trust to properly investigate.

Angie Hammond, mother of Seneca teen Zachary Hammond – who was shot July 26 in an attempted drug bust – urged an amendment to require autopsy results and video footage to be released to family. Her son’s shooting made no sense, she said.

“The only way to be sure was to see video,” she said.

Legislators decided against the amendment but the bill will move forward.

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "Bill would require SLED to investigate all police shootings involving death, serious injury."