A 74-year-old Vietnam veteran suspected of shooting seven law enforcement officers allegedly “ambushed” the cops when they arrived at his home to interview his son “about a sexual assault on a child.” According to the Associated Press, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said three Florence County deputies showed up to interview Frederick Hopkins’ 27-year-old son at about 4 p.m. Wednesday when Hopkins shot them as they were exiting the police car. Four more Florence officers were shot during the two-hour standoff, and one died. Lott says Hopkins was charged with “murder and six counts of attempted murder,” and will be released from the hospital Friday “after suffering a head injury.” Hopkins’ son, Seth, has been charged with “criminal sexual conduct.”
The disabled veteran has reportedly bragged about his gun skills online. Records show he is also a disbarred lawyer and faced a 2014 count of disorderly conduct. In a 2014 Facebook post, he wrote: “I have been shooting competitively since 1984 and lovin’ it. I just love the smell of gunpowder in the mornin.” The slain officer, 52-year-old Sgt. Terrence Carraway, served in the Florence Police Department for 30 years. Two of the six wounded officers were released from the hospital Thursday.
