A 76-year-old Greenwood homeowner was shot in the leg inside his own house Wednesday morning after telling a dispatcher that an intruder had broken in and was still inside — and the ordeal ended with an officer firing at the armed suspect before he was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound.
Greenwood police officers responded to a residence on Hunter Street after a report of a burglary in progress, according to a news release cited by einpresswire.com. The homeowner had told dispatch that someone had broken into his home and was still inside, and while he was on the phone with the dispatcher, the subject shot him. Officers arriving on scene found the injured homeowner along with a 51-year-old suspect who was armed with a gun, while a separate report from foxcarolina.com specified that the homeowner, 76, suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.
Officer Opens Fire as Suspect Points Gun
Police moved the wounded homeowner to safety before the situation escalated further. The subject then pointed a gun at officers, and a Greenwood police officer fired his weapon but did not strike him, per the release detailed by einpresswire.com. The suspect retreated into another room following the exchange.
Officers then heard a gunshot from where the suspect had retreated. When they located him, the subject was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the same release. No law enforcement officers were injured in the incident, and there were no other reported injuries.
Both Men Hospitalized, Suspect's Identity Withheld
The homeowner was transported to a hospital for treatment, and the suspect was also taken to a hospital following the shooting. Fox Carolina's report noted that the conditions of both the 76-year-old victim and the suspect were unknown at the time of publication. The suspect's identity is being withheld at this time pending further investigative and charging decisions, according to wspa.com.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division was requested to investigate the officer-involved shooting by the Greenwood Police Department, per the release. SLED said the matter remains an ongoing investigation and that no additional information would be disclosed at this time.
Part of a Statewide Pattern of Officer-Involved Shootings
The Greenwood County case marks the 38th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026, according to the SLED-sourced release. That follows 45 such shootings recorded statewide in 2025. For the Greenwood Police Department specifically, this is the first officer-involved shooting of the year — after the department had one in 2025 as well.
Additional reporting on the sequence of events was published by The State, which detailed how the burglary call escalated into gunfire before SLED's involvement was confirmed. With the SLED investigation still active, key details — including the suspect's identity, the specific charges he may face, and the current medical condition of both men — have not yet been made public.
