|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A Lowcountry law enforcement officer who left his K9 partner in a locked, overheated car last summer was “under immense stress” at the time of the fatal incident – which did not result in any charges being filed against him.
Dorchester County Sheriff Office (DCSO) deputy Brandon Edwards left his partner, K9 Orser, in a patrol car on July 28, 2024 – leading to the dog’s death, according to an investigative report (.pdf) from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Despite public outrage and demands for accountability, SLED determined the incident was an accident, and prosecutors declined to pursue charges.
That afternoon, between 2:30 – 3:00 p.m. EDT, Edwards was in the process of swapping vehicles with DCSO deputy Barry Lowe — a necessary arrangement seeing as Lowe’s assigned patrol vehicle was out of service. The two deputies routinely exchanged vehicles prior to the start of their shifts.
During the cruiser exchange, Edwards “locked the keys” to a DCSO Suburban inside the vehicle – prompting a request for another deputy to come unlock it. K9 Orser was barking from a kennel located inside Edwards’ garage, prompting Edwards to move him from the kennel into the other vehicle – a DCSO Tahoe.
“Edwards let the K9 out of the kennel and placed the K9 inside the Tahoe, which was turned on and running,” the SLED report noted. “Edwards described the vehicle as ‘cool’ when he placed the K9 inside the vehicle.”
***
Once the Suburban was unlocked, the deputies began to transfer gear when Edwards noticed a “tire on the Tahoe appeared to be flat.”
Around the same time they were inspecting the tire, a stray golf ball “shattered the windshield” of the Suburban, per the report, which noted Edwards resides near a golf course.
Lowe departed the residence in the Suburban while Edwards repositioned the Tahoe in his driveway and turned the vehicle off.
“The K9 was laying down quietly in the Tahoe,” the report noted.
Later that day, prior to leaving his residence, Edwards forgot Orser was still inside the vehicle. At some point, he turned the cruiser off – unintentionally deactivating its HotPop safety feature, a system designed to lower the windows and activate cooling when interior temperatures become dangerous.
The feature does not function when the vehicle is turned off.
When Edwards returned home that evening, he did not immediately check on Orser. By the time he did, it was too late. His K9 partner was found dead in the back of the vehicle, covered in vomit.
“I fucked up,” Edwards told responding officers on a 911 call reporting the K9’s demise.
Orser had been under Edwards’ care since February 2024, according to the SLED report.
According to the report, Edwards told SLED investigators he was under “considerable stress” at the time of the incident regarding an undisclosed matter involving another individual. The portion of the report which referenced the source of the stress has been redacted, however.
***
***
THE AFTERMATH
After K9 Orser’s death, weeks passed without any explanation from DCSO – leading to mounting public frustration and demands for accountability.
“Dorchester County is trying to sweep this under the rug,” former deputy Adam Throckmorton said in a viral social media post. “They’re trying to duck the news media, and they’re just trying to make it like it never happened.”
On August 16, 2024, a necropsy determined Orser’s injuries were consistent with fatal heat stroke. The K9 showed signs of generalized visceral congestion, pulmonary edema, and hemorrhaging. While the SLED report noted an underlying, undiagnosed condition could have resulted in Orser being more susceptible to the complications of heat stroke, a review of the K9’s medical records failed to turn up indications that such a condition existed.
On August 30, 2024, former Dorchester County sheriff L.C. Knight asked SLED to investigate the K9’s death. Two weeks later, on September 12, 2024, Edwards was demoted, removed from the K9 unit, and his pay was reduced.
On October 8, 2024 – more than 100 days after the incident – Edwards was interviewed by SLED. Two months later, the agency’s investigative report was completed and the public integrity unit – a collaborative effort of the S.C. first and fourteenth judicial circuits – announced its decision not to present the case to the grand jury for prosecution.
***
EDWARDS’ DISCIPLINARY RECORD
The SLED investigation led by senior special agent Ryan Kelly detailed Edwards’ prior disciplinary record.
“Edwards was disciplined on June 26, 2018 for violation of Rules and Regulations of DCSO Section 4 General Conduct subsection A and issued a one-day suspension,” the report stated. “Dep. Edwards was disciplined on August 14, 2019 for lack of communication with his supervisors and issued a three-day suspension. Dep. Edwards was disciplined on December 4, 2019 for failing to complete documentation related to the apprehension of a juvenile and placed on desk duty.”
Of interest? The officer who responded to Edwards’ 911 call – DCSO corporal Shawn Buchanan – noted in his interview with SLED that he had “concerns” about Edwards’ “commitment to training” owing to the fact he was “experiencing stress at home.”
***
CONSEQUENCES
SLED’s findings may have cleared Edwards of criminal wrongdoing, but for many in the community, questions remain. Was his demotion and removal from the K9 unit sufficient punishment for the preventable death of a law enforcement K9? Did stress excuse the oversight? Or was it a reckless failure of duty?
As public scrutiny lingers, the decision not to prosecute Edwards seems unlikely to quiet the calls for accountability – and justice for Orser.
***
THE REPORT…
***
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.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
3 comments
That’s inexcusable That poor dog died a terrible death and they excuse it because he was stressed? Orser didn’t last 6 months under his care. When he says “I fucked up” with a human life is he going to be excused because of stress?
Great work ‘officer’ you killed your partner! I sure hope your dreams are haunted every time you close your eyes. And let’s be real, everyone has stress so no excuse, that’s called being an adult.
Considering prior disciplinary events, in addition to the criminal death of the K-9, the excuse of being under stress, it is clear that the deputy has psychological problems and unsuited to be a law enforcement officer. Think for a moment of the possible consequences of such a psychologically unstable officer carrying and possibly using firearms. He should have been fired.