Man wielding metal pipe has “serious” injuries after being shot by deputy in Bluffton.

Shady Glen Mobile Home Park was quiet Sunday afternoon, just hours after a man wielding a metal pipe was shot by a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

The man was being treated for serious injuries at Savannah Memorial Health on Sunday. No other injuries were reported from the conflict, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office release and statement from S.C. Law Enforcement Division.

By mid-day neighbors gathered with family on porches or in yards in the mobile home park located near Old Town.

Many said they witnessed the events that started about 3:30 a.m. after deputies responded to a report of a disturbance outside of a home in the neighborhood.

The Sheriff’s Office release says the first deputy who arrived on scene was approached by the man wielding a metal pipe.

“As the subject attempted to assault the deputy with the pipe, the deputy drew his service pistol and fired two shots,” the release says.

The injured man then continued to be combative and was restrained by deputies for medical treatment.

Beaufort County Emergency Medical was able to stabilize the man and transport him to the hospital.

The deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave while an internal review by the Sheriff’s Office is conducted.

S.C. Law Enforcement Division responded to the scene and is leading the investigation which will include “gathering and analyzing forensic evidence” such as interviewing witnesses and reviewing any available video, said Tommy Crosby, the agency’s information officer.

Crosby said investigations take about five to six months to complete on average and are typically sent to the solicitor’s office for review prior to completion.

The last deputy-involved shooting for the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office was in July 2019, Sheriff’s Office Maj. Bob Bromage said Sunday.

Donald Allamong was shot and killed outside his Sun City home after raising a gun at a deputy, says a letter previously released by office of the 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone. The letter also says it appears Allamong fired a shot at the deputy.

Deputy Cpl. Kerry Johnson’s appeared to be appropriate, the Solicitor’s Office said in the letter, and no charges were filed.

The Sheriff’s Office had no other deputy-involved shootings in 2019.

Crosby said this is the 15th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina for 2020. There were 45 shootings in 2019.

This story was originally published May 10, 2020 at 11:36 AM.