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South Carolina investigators still haven’t concluded their inquiry into the horrific death of a K9 officer left inside a hot vehicle last summer.
More than five months after a K9 officer with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) perished in his handler’s scorching patrol car, agents of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are still probing the dog’s handler, deputy Brandon Edwards. Considering the tragic and well-documented details of this case, the length of the investigation has led many to question why a resolution has not yet been reached.
Edwards, 40, of North Charleston, S.C. was a master handler. He was demoted following the incident, however, and is no longer part of the K-9 team.
Last year was a horrific one for K9 officers in South Carolina. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) alone lost three K9s – Bumi, Kodak and Wick – each shot and killed in the line of duty. SLED lost one K9, Coba, who was also shot and killed in the line of duty.
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RELATED | DEPUTY DEMOTED AFTER K9’S DEATH
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By contrast, sources have told FITSNews the Dorchester K9 – whose name has not been released – suffered a horrific end as he desperately tried to escape a hot car.
According to demotion paperwork submitted to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA), Edwards left his K9 partner “unattended in his department-issued vehicle without the temperature controls operating.” The document (.pdf) – dated September 12, 2024 – noted Edwards’ rank was reduced from master deputy to deputy, his pay was decreased and he was removed from the K9 unit. No reference was made to the fact the K9 perished.
Edwards, an Air Force veteran with nearly two decades of experience as a handler, has been employed by DCSO since October 2014.
In the aftermath of the incident, our news outlet repeatedly requested information from the agency – but those requests have been either declined or deferred. Then, last August, a former DCSO deputy took to social media and demanded accountability in the matter.
“Dorchester County is trying to sweep this under the rug,” former deputy Adam Throckmorton said. “They’re trying to duck the news media, and they’re just trying to make it like it never happened.”
Shortly thereafter, SLED announced it had taken over the case – with its director of public information, Renée Wunderlich, taking care to point out her agency was leading an independent inquiry as opposed to merely conducting an “investigative review.”
Once again, count on FITSNews to keep our audience apprised of the status of this inquiry as it (hopefully) moves toward a resolution…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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