Video captures law enforcement pursuit that ends in gunfire, 3 arrests

The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office released video footage from a Sept. 7 high-speed pursuit that ended with a deputy firing his gun and the arrest of three masked young men.

No one was hit by the warning shot fired into the dirt, authorities say. One man was accused of tossing a firearm during the foot chase, while another allegedly bit a deputy’s finger.

Deputies are still searching for a fourth suspect who ran from the vehicle, department spokesman Andrew Knapp said. The deputy’s decision to discharge his firearm is under internal review, per protocol, he said.

The department released dash camera footage from the squad cars of deputies Kevin Willis and Hank Carter. Carter fired his gun that night, while Willis had his finger bitten, Knapp said.

Willis and Carter are seen in the videos pursuing a Toyota sedan, reportedly stolen, around 12:45 a.m. Sept. 7 near Interstate 526 and Paramount Drive. The suspect vehicle turns east onto Dorchester Road with the squad cars chasing, lights flashing and sirens wailing.

The suspect vehicle turns north onto Constitution Avenue as the pursuers begin weaving through the Waylyn neighborhood, video shows. Carter advises dispatchers as they turn onto Louise Drive that they are headed toward a dead end.

The car crashes into a fence at the end of Louise Drive, video shows. Four people in masks scramble from their seats and run. One passenger briefly slips in mud before sprinting past some lawn furniture. Another, dressed in a track suit and carrying a black object, trips over a toppled recycling bin.

The deputies give chase. Within 30 seconds, a single gunshot rings out in the darkness. Backup officers arrive and search the area, video shows.

Three North Charleston residents were arrested: Kahlil Marquez Smith, 18; Jervontay Bobby McBride, 20; and Jamar Jorden Gray, 20.

During the foot chase, Carter fired his gun into the ground after Smith turned around and reached for something, Knapp said. Smith, uninjured, was detained. A semiautomatic pistol was found nearby. Authorities claim Smith tossed it during the chase.

McBride allegedly bit Willis’ hand during his arrest. The deputy was taken to a local hospital for treatment, Knapp said.

A warning shot is permitted under the department’s use-of-force policy if the deputy is authorized to use deadly force, and he or she believes the shot can be fired safely.

All three suspects were charged with unlawful wearing of a mask to conceal identity. Smith was also charged with presenting a firearm and unlawful gun possession. McBride was charged with assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest.

Gray was released Sept. 7 from Charleston County jail on a personal recognizance bond. The other two men have not posted bail.

The fourth suspect remained at large Sept. 9, Knapp said.