(Walhalla, SC)————————————–The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into a shooting that occurred yesterday afternoon on Lake Keowee in Salem. The Sheriff’s Office is also able today to release some further information in regards to the incident.
Deputies were dispatched around 2:16pm yesterday due to reports of a shooting that had occurred. According to information and evidence obtained during the investigation, a man and a woman on a pontoon boat observed a man and a woman, who had been on a Jet Ski, in distress in the water. The man and woman in the water did not have on life jackets.
The couple on the pontoon boat drove the boat over and the man and the woman got onto the boat from the water. The Jet Ski continued running and was doing circles in the lake. The man, who had been rescued, became agitated and began assaulting the couple on the pontoon. Investigators have been told that the man may have wanted to get back to the Jet Ski.
The female, who was on the Jet Ski, attempted to deescalate the assault by pushing the man, who had been on the Jet Ski, back in the water. The couple assisted getting the man back on the boat a second time. After a second encounter, the man on the pontoon shot the man fearing for his and his wife’s life while being assaulted. The man who was shot died on the pontoon.
Investigators were also told that there may have been some type of argument between the man and the woman on the Jet Ski before they were ejected into the water.
As reported last night in a news release, Investigators report that all parties involved in the incident have been identified and are cooperating with the investigation. The names of the parties involved will not be released at this time due to the ongoing investigation.
Investigators will be meeting with the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office this week to determine if probable cause exists for any charges to be filed or is a case of self-defense in relation to the incident.