UPDATED: Community mourns officer's killing

Police, friends and family gather at Richardson's parents' home to support the slain officer's family. (Karen Daily/Staff)

Local police and the Aiken community are in mourning today after an Aiken Public Safety officer is dead and another officer and a suspect were shot Tuesday evening following a traffic stop.

Officer Scott Richardson, 33, was one of two officers shot Tuesday night following a traffic stop on Brandt Court. Richardson was transported to the Georgia Health Sciences University (formerly the Medical College of Georgia), where he died early this morning. The other officer, Travis Griffin, was shot in the chest. Griffin was treated at Aiken Regional Medical Centers and released.

The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Stephon Carter by multiple news outlets, also was shot and transported to the Georgia Health Sciences University. His condition has not been released.

Lt. David Turno said the shooting occurred about 8:58 p.m. near Brandt Court during a traffic stop in regard to a previous police call, although the nature of the original call is still not clear.

During the police stop, the suspect began firing at the officers, according to police.

Turno did not say how many people were in the vehicle or how many shots may have been fired. He confirmed there was more than one person in the "suspect vehicle." However, Turno said no suspects are at large, and no other individuals were taken into custody. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agents roped off the area and are investigating the incident, he said Tuesday night.

"That is standard protocol for an officer-involved shooting," he said.

Turno said that Richardson was a graduate of South Aiken High School and USC Aiken. He was married with three children.

"Master PSO Richardson was a beloved husband and proud father. His constant smile was a pleasant sight at this office and to all those who knew him," Turno said.

Richardson joined Aiken Public Safety in 1999 as a cadet, worked his way to a driver operator position and then became an officer in 2005.

 "A number of Law Enforcement Agencies have assisted us while we deal with our loss. We are grateful for the help from the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol, North Augusta Public Safety, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Aiken County Solicitors Office," Turno said.

"The department is hurting, but we have good people here," said Aiken Public Safety Director Pete Frommer. We are strong. We are like a family."

Michael Hunt, Aiken County Sheriff, said, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to public safety and their employees. We are very close-knit — the two agencies - and certainly when they lose an employee, it devastates all of us. Unfortunately this agency, the Sheriff's Office, has been down this road ourselves. We are going to stand behind Public Safety because we understand the grief they are going through. Our hearts and prayers go out to them and this officer's family."

Sgt. Jake Mahoney, Aiken Public Safety officer, said he never heard a cross word about Richardson. "You couldn't script a tragedy better than this," Mahoney said. "He was a good man, a good father and a good officer."

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at noon at the USC Aiken Convocation Center. Interment will follow in Historic Bethany Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Edward Scott Richardson Children's Fund, Savannah River Banking Co., 407 Silver Bluff Rd., Aiken, SC  29803.

To offer condolences, sign the Shellhouse-Rivers guestbook.

The Aiken Standard will continue to update this story at www.aikenstandard.com today, and have more on this story in Thursday's Aiken Standard print edition.