Charleston, S.C. – The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has concluded its investigation into a 2024 officer-involved shooting in West Ashley, resulting in no charges against the officer involved. According to the SLED report, the officer acted within the law and was in fear for his life when he fired his weapon at a suspect during a confrontation at a West Ashley apartment complex.
Incident Details
On July 16, 2024, Charleston Police officers, including Officer Conall Murphy, responded to reports of a man pointing a gun at cars and firing into the ground at an apartment complex in West Ashley. The suspect was later identified as 21-year-old Harper Lawrence-Weiland.
Upon arrival, officers confronted Lawrence-Weiland, who initially did not display a weapon. However, at one point, Lawrence-Weiland reached into his jacket pocket, prompting Officer Murphy to fire four shots toward him. The SLED report states that Officer Murphy did not provide a statement or participate in an interview with investigators through his lawyer. Additionally, the officer did not complete a use-of-force report because he had already been placed on administrative leave following the incident.
Investigation Findings
The SLED investigation revealed that a 9mm Luger handgun was found near Lawrence-Weiland at the scene. In his interview, Lawrence-Weiland admitted to stealing the handgun earlier that evening and placing it in his jacket pocket. While another officer on the scene did not perceive Lawrence-Weiland as a deadly threat and did not see him with a gun, the officer mentioned that he still felt fear for his safety due to the nature of the call.
Decision to Not Prosecute
After reviewing SLED’s findings and the body camera footage, Solicitor Scarlet Wilson decided not to file charges against Officer Murphy. Wilson’s office issued a statement explaining that, based on the briefings from SLED and her own review of the video footage, she and the agents agreed that Officer Murphy reasonably believed both he and others were in imminent danger during the incident.
Following the investigation, no criminal charges were filed against the officer involved, as it was determined that the officer acted within the scope of the law, believing his actions were necessary to protect himself and others in a dangerous situation.
