Sheriff identifies Berkeley Co. deputies involved in deadly I-526 shooting

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office has identified the two deputies involved in a chase that led to a fatal shooting at the top of the bridge over the Wando River Friday morning.

Sheriff Duane Lewis said Lt. Cody Graff and Detective Cpl. Brian Keefer were the two deputies involved in the incident, which the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed on Monday it is investigating.

Deputies say they attempted to stop a vehicle just before 11:30 a.m. that was involved in multiple hit-and-runs. The vehicle did not stop and deputies then pursued it, Cpl. Carli Drayton said.

“After another collision, the suspect’s vehicle became inoperable,” Drayton said. “When the vehicle came to a stop on I-526, over the Wando River, shots were fired.”

The suspect, whom the Berkeley County Coroner’s Office identified as 37-year-old Brent Conrad of Huger, died at the scene.

Both Graff and Keefer have been placed on paid administrative leave, an agency protocol, while SLED completes the investigation, Drayton said.

Graff has been with the sheriff’s office since January 2009 and Keefer joined the sheriff’s office in September 2017.

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its internal investigation as well, Drayton said.

SLED spokesperson Renée Wunderlich confirmed Monday afternoon that the agency was investigating the incident, which shut down I-526 for several hours.

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