“Matthew Brown Charged in Officer-Involved Shooting in Orangeburg County”

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has released new information regarding an officer-involved shooting that occurred in the town of Norway in Orangeburg County. Matthew Brown, a 34-year-old resident of Norway, has been charged with four counts of pointing and presenting a firearm.

The incident took place on Saturday when Orangeburg County deputies responded to a report of a man pointing a gun at mail carriers. According to affidavits, Brown pointed a long-barrel shotgun at a postal employee who was delivering mail to his home.

When deputies arrived at Brown’s residence, they encountered an armed man, later identified as Brown by SLED agents. Affidavits state that he also pointed his weapon at the deputies when they confronted him about the earlier incident involving the postal employee.

Following an interaction with Brown, the deputies fired their weapons, but fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. SLED agents were called in to investigate the circumstances of the shooting, as is standard practice in South Carolina when a law enforcement officer fires their weapon.

Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell expressed gratitude that no one was harmed during the incident, acknowledging that there are often cases where not everyone goes home safely.

This incident marks the 22nd officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2023, but it is the first such incident involving the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office this year. In contrast, there were 32 officer-involved shootings in the state in 2022, with none involving the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office.

The release of this information by SLED serves to provide transparency and insight into the circumstances surrounding the officer-involved shooting. It underscores the importance of thorough investigations in such cases to ensure accountability and maintain public trust in law enforcement..