Black Thug Suspected of Attempted Murder of White Cop has Been Fatally Wounded

WBTV
May 24, 2015

A spokesman with the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division confirmed Friday morning a sketch released following the shooting of a Berkeley County deputy was the gunman fatally shot by Charleston police Thursday.

SLED spokesman Thom Berry said Jerome Thomas Caldwell, 32, the man police suspected in the attempted murder of a Berkeley County deputy and who was fatally shot Thursday after opening fire on officers, was the person in the sketch.

Officials with the Charleston Police Department say the officers involved in Caldwell’s shooting are Master Police Officer Omar Bautista, a 14 year CPD veteran, and Officer Brandon Parker, a 4 year CPD veteran.

CPD officials say the officers have been placed on paid administrative leave which is normal protocol.

Berry said there was no “person of interest” currently being sought in the shooting of Deputy Lt. Will Rogers on May 14.

SLED has been handling the investigation of the deputy’s shooting, while the Moncks Corner Police Department took the lead in the investigation into the carjacking that happened at the shooting scene.

Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen said at 1:47 p.m. Thursday, Caldwell came out of the rear of the apartment in which he had been holed up since approximately 4 a.m. and fired multiple shots at police officers. The officers returned fire, fatally striking Caldwell, Mullen said.

Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten said Caldwell was pronounced dead at 1:59 p.m.

On Thursday afternoon, Caldwell’s mother said she spoke on the phone to her son while he was inside the apartment and right before he decided to come out. According to the mother, Caldwell, who lived in Mount Pleasant, was in downtown because he was visiting his child in the hospital.

Caldwell’s mother said her son asked her to turn him over to investigators so the family would get the reward money.

Mullen said police negotiators were in contact with Caldwell throughout the day by telephone. Mullen also said shots had been heard inside the apartment throughout the day during those negotiations.