Lancaster drug suspect shoots at officers during raid, police say | Rock Hill Herald

A Lancaster drug suspect shot at law enforcement officers during a raid Friday at a home where three children were inside, deputies said.

“None of our officers were hurt,” said Doug Barfield, spokesman for the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. “No one in the home was injured. The children were not hurt.”

A team of nine officers were in the South Avenue home when the suspect fired through a closed bedroom door, Barfield said.

Barfield and Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile identified the suspect who fired the gun as Lareckius J. Price, 29. A jammed handgun was found next to Price, deputies said. Price is charged with nine counts of attempted murder for shooting at the officers.

Faile said the shot narrowly missed the deputies who were executing a search warrant for drugs. A SWAT team was at the house along with Lancaster drug agents.

“I am extremely thankful that no one was injured,” Faile said. “Our jobs are inherently dangerous and it is well known that the drug trafficking industry is often violent. Those are risks we are willing to take to keep our community safe.”

Faile said the officers showed restraint.

No officers fired their weapons, Barfield said. Price was not injured when taken into custody, according to deputies.

“We took a large quantity of dangerous drugs off the street today and I am proud of our personnel for their dedication and bravery during this operation,” Faile said.

During the drug raid, deputies seized more than 1,000 illegal opioid Oxycodone painkiller pills, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, four guns, more than $5,000 in cash, and a surveillance system for the house.

Price also is charged with trafficking Oxycodone, trafficking cocaine and crack, several other drug charges, felony child neglect, and several weapons charges. He also is charged with dealing drugs near a park, which is close to the house where Price was arrested.

Price is being held without bond at the Lancaster County jail.

A second suspect, Sherica C. Rushing, 29, was in the home during the raid, according to Faile and Barfield. She also is charged with trafficking Oxycodone, crack and cocaine, and other drug and weapon charges. Rushing also is being held without bond.

A family member has taken custody of the three children, Barfield said. Police notified South Carolina’s Department of Social Services about the children and the charge of child neglect.

Andrew Dys

803-329-4065

Andrew Dys covers breaking news and public safety for The Herald, where he has been a reporter and columnist since 2000. He has won 51 South Carolina Press Association awards for his coverage of crime, race, justice, and people. He is author of the book “Slice of Dys” and his work is in the U.S. Library of Congress.