A man died after a chase that started in Florence County ended in a shootout with deputies in Williamsburg County, according to SLED.
WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, S.C. — The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred Wednesday in Williamsburg County, according to SLED.
Florence County Sheriff’s Office deputies tried to stop a vehicle and serve an arrest warrant along Lake City Highway near Johnsonville, according to SLED. The man, later identified as Nelson Boyd Chavis, 40, fled, prompting a pursuit that crossed from Florence County into Williamsburg County, SLED said.
Chavis abandoned his vehicle and ran into the woods near Muddy Creek Road, according to SLED. Gunfire was then exchanged between Chavis, who was armed with a handgun, and deputies, SLED said.
Chavis was shot and died while being taken to a hospital, according to SLED. No officers were injured.
SLED was asked to investigate by both the Florence County Sheriff’s Office and the Williamsburg County Sheriff’s Office. The agency said no further details will be released while the investigation is active.
According to SLED, agents will interview witnesses and collect and forensically test evidence as part of the inquiry. A case file summarizing the findings will be submitted to prosecutors once complete, SLED said.
The shooting is the 27th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026 and the first this year involving the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, according to SLED. The agency reported 45 officer-involved shootings statewide in 2025, including one involving the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.
Based on a release from S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Source: S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) original release.
