A police officer in Greenville, South Carolina, became the target of a sudden attack when a suspect drove up beside his patrol car and opened fire. This dramatic encounter, caught on surveillance video, concluded with the assailant being killed.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has released footage showing a vehicle pulling into a parking lot, stopping right next to the marked patrol car. In a matter of moments, gunshots illuminate the night as the suspect fires before speeding away, leaving the officer injured inside his vehicle.
The injured officer was quickly transported to a hospital for treatment and has since been discharged.
According to Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis, deputies were able to track down the suspect’s vehicle, which led to a short pursuit.
Surveillance video captures a vehicle navigating through a parking lot under the cover of darkness in Greenville, identified by police as being involved in the attack on the officer.
During the chase, authorities reported multiple exchanges of gunfire, which ultimately ended in a crash. The suspect was found dead inside his vehicle. The Greenville County Coroner has identified him as 42-year-old David William Lane.
“This incident stemmed from an ambush-style attack against a Greenville city officer,” Lewis said.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital that it had prior contact with Lane before Sunday’s ambush. In a statement, the sheriff’s office said deputies received multiple complaints from neighbors Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 regarding Lane’s comments and behavior.
Damage is visible on a Greenville police patrol vehicle after a shooting that police said targeted a single officer. (The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division )
Deputies responded to and investigated each complaint, determining that while the behavior was concerning, it did not rise to the level required for a criminal arrest warrant.
Out of an abundance of caution, the sheriff’s office said administrators at the Hunting Downs apartment complex coordinated with deputies to hire off-duty sheriff’s deputies for security. That detail began on Jan. 8 to help ensure the safety of residents.
A mother whose daughter lived at the complex shared security video with Fox Carolina that appears to show Lane approaching her daughter’s apartment earlier this month while carrying a gun. The woman told the outlet Lane had been stalking her daughter and others at the complex and made threatening statements.
A second view shows damage to a Greenville police patrol vehicle after a shooting that police said was an ambush targeting one officer. (The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division)
SLED was asked to investigate the ambush by both the Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. The agency says it will conduct a thorough, independent investigation, including witness interviews and forensic testing, before submitting its findings to prosecutors. No additional details are being released at this time.
The agency said the incident marks the second officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026 and the first involving the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office this year. SLED said the state recorded 45 officer-involved shootings in 2025, seven of which involved the sheriff’s office.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
