By Delayna Earley
The Island News
Andre Elijah Washington, 17, of Burton was arrested after a domestic disturbance call took a violent turn on Tuesday morning, April 21 on Wildcat Lane off Parker Drive in Burton.
The call about a disturbance came in just before 5 a.m. on April 21, to the Communications Center according to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Public information Officer Lt. Danny Allen.
Shortly after arriving on scene, deputies determined that the incident was domestic-related and an individual, later identified as Washington, began firing shots at the deputies, which resulted in them exchanging gunfire.
A perimeter was quickly established and deputies called in local law enforcement agencies to assist with the officer-involved shooting and to search for the suspect.
According to the BCSO, during the search of the area with K9 units, a firearm believed to have been used by Washington was located. The weapon was collected for evidence and testing to confirm it is the same weapon used by Washington.
Washington was eventually located and taken into custody without incident. He was unarmed at the time of his arrest.
Arrest warrants served on Washington include Attempted Murder, Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Person Under 18, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, Aggravated Breach of Peace, Burglary — 1st Degree, and Trespassing.
At the scene assisting BCSO was the Beaufort Police Department, Port Royal Police Department, The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR).
BCSO deputies involved in the incident were placed on administrative leave until an Internal Affairs investigation is concluded in connection with this incident.
Beaufort County School District was also made aware of the situation as a precaution and two schools were put on lockdown as a precaution as reported by WJCL.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
