Attorney General Alan Wilson announces no charges will be filed in death of Darius Holcomb

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - The Attorney General’s Office has reviewed the officer-involved shooting of Darius Holcomb that occurred in Spartanburg on February 2, 2023. The shooting resulted in the death of Mr. Holcomb. The Attorney General’s Office commends the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for its thorough investigation into the events that unfolded.

On January 27, 2023, Spartanburg Police Department (SPD) officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Mr. Holcomb for his failure to appear for a sex offender registry violation court hearing stemming from a kidnapping conviction. When the officer arrived at the home where Mr. Holcomb lived with his mother, he ran into the house and refused to leave. Officers left and obtained a warrant for resisting arrest.

The next day officers responded to an alleged assault by Mr. Holcomb at the home and tried to serve the outstanding warrants. Mr. Holcomb again refused to leave the house.  The officers left and obtained a second warrant for resisting arrest.

A few days later, SPD officers coordinated with Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies for assistance with arresting Mr. Holcomb. On February 2, 2023, at about 3 p.m., Spartanburg County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home and were greeted by Mr. Holcomb’s mother, who allowed the deputies to enter the house. When they went inside, they saw Mr. Holcomb standing in the living room holding a sharp object in his right hand. When he saw the deputies, he ran into a bedroom and barricaded the door. A deputy notified dispatch of the situation and waited for other deputies and officers from the SPD to arrive.

An SCSO negotiator tried to peacefully resolve the situation. He later told SLED investigators that Mr. Holcomb said he would not come out and that he would kill the officers if they came in. When the negotiator asked Mr. Holcomb if he had any weapons, he slid a long silver barbecue fork under the door to show that he did have a weapon.

After Mr. Holcomb stopped talking to the negotiator, the SWAT Team Commander decided to deploy tear gas to force Mr. Holcomb to surrender. However, Mr. Holcomb placed a mattress over the breached window, rendering the attempt unsuccessful.

The SWAT Commander then ordered deputies to breach the bedroom. After using a sledgehammer to breach the bedroom door, K-9 Atlas went into the bedroom. A deputy then stepped into the doorway. As the K-9 attempted to subdue Mr. Holcomb, the Deputy saw Mr. Holcomb make several attempts to stab the K-9.

The deputy later explained that he feared for his life and the lives of the other deputies due to Mr. Holcomb’s close proximity, attack with the carving fork, and threats to kill the officers. The deputy also stated that Mr. Holcomb was moving toward him as he attacked the K-9. The deputy then fired his gun at Mr. Holcomb. Deputies moved Mr. Holcomb from the bedroom to the living room and started performing CPR on Mr. Holcomb until EMS arrived. At approximately 5:54 p.m., EMS pronounced Mr. Holcomb dead. The responding officers were not injured. Based upon the totality of the circumstances and the application of criminal law, the Attorney General’s Office has declined to prosecute the case.