Driver involved in Tanger 2 shooting remains in hospital, will be arrested upon release

The 21-year-old Hilton Head Island man hospitalized following an officer-involved shooting in a parking lot at Tanger 2 Outlet in Bluffton remains in the hospital and has not yet been charged, SLED officials say.

Akeem Jenkins was flown to Memorial University Medical Center on Friday afternoon after he was pulled over around 5:45 p.m. near the Nike Factory Store by a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office sergeant for exhibiting what the Sheriff’s Office says was “suspicious activity,” according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.

During the traffic stop, Jenkins allegedly placed his vehicle in reverse and Sgt. Raymond Heroux became “trapped in the open driver’s side door and dragged through the parking lot,” the release said.

Heroux then “drew his service pistol and fired at the subject,” the release said. When EMS responded to the scene, they found at least 10 grams of cocaine on Jenkins’ person, enough for officers to charge him with a felony upon his release from the hospital, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Thom Berry, spokesperson for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, said on Monday that Jenkins suffered non-life-threatening injuries and will be charged by Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police upon his release.

Following his arrest, Jenkins will be extradited to South Carolina barring any resistance of extradition, which could result in an extradition hearing, Berry said.

This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Driver involved in Tanger 2 shooting remains in hospital, will be arrested upon release."