Mayor: Marion officer was helping with disturbance before deadly officer-involved shooting

MARION, S.C. (WMBF) – A man is dead after an officer-involved shooting early Thursday in Marion, according to officials.

Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson identified the man killed as 29-year-old Prince Gurley.

According to Marion Police Chief Tony Flowers, the shooting happened just before 4 a.m. in the area of East Liberty Street and Main Street.

Marion Mayor Ashley Brady, alongside Flowers, provided a brief statement Thursday afternoon on the shooting.

Brady said that an officer was on a regular patrol and witnessed a disturbance between two people and stopped to assist.

The State Law Enforcement Division said Gurley was armed with a knife during the incident and was shot.

Both Gurley and the officer were hurt and were sent to the hospital. The officer was treated and released on Thursday afternoon.

“We are thankful that the officer is OK, but did sustain injuries,” Brady said.

But SLED said Gurley died at the hospital.

His mother spoke to WMBF News and was shaken by the loss of her son.

“The tragedy is really hurting me because he was the only son I got,” Ruth Gurley said. “It happened so fast. I wasn’t looking for him to get shot by the police.”

SLED has now taken over the investigation into the deadly shooting, which is protocol in officer-involved shootings. Brady said that the city is working with SLED in the investigation.

This is the first officer-involved shooting involving the Marion Police Department this year. It’s the 13th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2022, according to SLED.

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