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GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — A man whom police suspected to be driving while drunk was shot and killed by deputies in South Carolina when he pointed a gun at them while they were trying to negotiate with him, authorities said.
Greenville County deputies had been chasing the man for about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Travelers Rest when he intentionally rammed a deputy's cruiser, Sheriff Will Lewis said.
As he continued driving toward downtown Greenville, deputies intentionally crashed into his car, Lewis said. He said the driver showed a gun, and officer negotiated with him for several minutes before he pointed the gun at them.
A deputy shot the suspect, Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Flood said. He did not release the deputy's name.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office identified the suspect as Jacob McCarty, 27. McCarty was shot several times and died at the hospital about an hour later, the coroner said in a news release. The release said officials plan to conduct toxicology tests.
"If we have a pretty good degree of certainly that someone, if we allow them to stay on the roadway, is going to injure or kill someone, we have an obligation to protect the public," Lewis said at a news conference near the scene.
Deputies were told McCarty might be armed during the chase. Trained negotiators were on their way to the crash when McCarty was killed, Lewis said.
The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating. Spokesman Thom Berry said he was told the officer is white and the coroner's office said McCarty was white as well.
Berry said there is body and dashboard camera footage of the shooting.
McCarty's death was the 41st shooting by a police officer in South Carolina this year, matching the total from 2016.
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