“Brent Conrad’s Family Seeks to Clear His Name Amid Rumors Surrounding His Death | Mount Pleasant News”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : MOUNT PLEASANT – The Conrad family has been silently grieving the loss of their beloved son and brother, Brent Conrad, for months. Tragically, on September 8, Brent took his own life on top of the Interstate 526 bridge over the Wando River. The family has struggled not only with the difficult process of burying their loved one but also with the overwhelming news coverage and rumors surrounding his death.

Initially, state investigators reported that the 37-year-old’s life was cut short in an “exchange of gunfire” with Berkeley County sheriff’s deputies. However, in a recent statement by 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, it was revealed that Brent only fired one shot, which ultimately killed himself. This contradicts previous reports that suggested he had opened fire on the deputies. Drew Conrad, Brent’s brother, expressed his outrage at the false claims, stating, “He never shot at police. One report said he opened fire. That’s outrageous.”

Seeking to set the record straight, the Conrad family decided to break their silence and provide their account of what truly happened on the day their world turned upside down. Shelly Conrad, Brent’s mother, shared, “It’s so upsetting that we’ve had to live with it for three months. It goes against everything he was and he stood for. We just want to clear his name.” She described Brent as an intelligent, artistic, and kindhearted individual who was often vulnerable and taken advantage of.

Brent had been battling depression on and off for years, and in the weeks leading up to his death, his condition had worsened, leading to increased paranoia and depression. This explains why he fled from the police, according to his firefighter and first responder brother, Drew. While Drew acknowledges that what Brent did was not right, he stresses that his brother was not the malicious gunslinger that the media portrayed him to be. “He wasn’t in his right mind,” Drew said.

On September 8, around 11:30 a.m., two Berkeley County deputies witnessed a 2015 Nissan Frontier pickup truck crashing into several cars at the intersection of S.C. Highway 41 and U.S. 17. The truck then failed to stop, prompting the deputies to pursue it in their unmarked vehicle. The chase lasted about 10 minutes and covered approximately 10 miles before coming to an end on the westbound lanes of the Wando River bridge. Following the fatal shooting, Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis held a press conference, stating, “The suspect did fire several shots at the deputies and they returned fire at this point.”

However, recent revelations have contradicted Lewis’ statement. Chief Deputy Jeremy Baker clarified that the sheriff’s initial statement was based on information provided at the time of the incident, which was a rapidly evolving situation. Once the investigation was completed, it was determined that Brent had committed suicide. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was called in to investigate, and their findings painted a different picture than initially reported.

In a letter released by 9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, it was stated that there was no evidence to suggest that Brent had fired shots at law enforcement or the general public. Forensic analysis confirmed that Brent’s DNA was found on the 9mm pistol recovered from his lap, while Deputy Cody Graff fired shots from a 40-caliber pistol. It is unclear when SLED or the Sheriff’s Office became aware that Brent did not shoot at the officers, but neither agency corrected their earlier statements to the press.

The Conrad family was informed on the day of Brent’s death that he had taken his own life, but they felt unable to defend their brother or son until the investigation was complete. They express no resentment towards the officer who was cleared of any wrongdoing but are frustrated that the true narrative surrounding Brent’s death was never properly established until now.

By speaking out, the Conrad family hopes to bring closure to their own grieving process and set the record straight about the events that unfolded on that tragic day. Their aim is to honor Brent’s memory and remember him for the intelligent, artistic, and kindhearted person he was, rather than the distorted image that has been portrayed in the media..