A North Carolina man, Michael P. O’Neal, 39, was fatally shot, and an off-duty Summerville Police officer, identified as Anthony DeLustro was injured in an altercation in Summerville, South Carolina, on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 20. The incident unfolded near a Chick-fil-A restaurant on North Main Street around 1 p.m.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating the incident. At this time, the details surrounding the altercation are not fully known. Berkeley County Coroner Darnell Hartwell confirmed that the deceased was O’Neal and stated that he died from a gunshot wound. The sequence of events leading to the unfortunate incident is still under investigation.
The off-duty officer was injured after being hit by a car. The injuries were non-life-threatening, and the officer was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Captain Chris Hirsch from the Summerville Police Department specified that the injuries were caused by the vehicle and not a firearm.
County Coroner Hartwell explained their commitment to a thorough investigation, stating, “Our job is to find the facts and that is what we are here to do today. We understand that people are getting off in-between jobs and things like that but again that’s part of the process to make sure that we investigate these cases very thoroughly.”
This incident is the second officer-involved shooting in Summerville in 2024, which has led to a comprehensive law enforcement response in the area. The vicinity around the Chick-fil-A and North Main Street was blocked off for several hours, affecting local traffic as crime scene units and investigators carried out their duties.
The Summerville Police issued public advisories asking people to avoid the area to aid in the ongoing investigation. This massive police presence and operational caution underscore the gravity the local authorities have attributed to the situation.
O’Neal’s relatives have stated that he held no animosity towards the police. His cousin, Tom Nail, confirmed that O’Neal was the individual seen wearing a black shirt in the video footage of the incident. Nail expressed his belief that the outcome may have been different if O’Neal had been aware that he was confronting an officer.
Nail said, “Michael would’ve never fought a cop. If he had known that that was a police officer, there’s no way that there would’ve been any altercation whatsoever. Michael would’ve stopped in his tracks.” He added, “He did for others; he really gave of himself to family and to friends and to anybody. And he was the guy that was always going to be smiling.”