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by WILL FOLKS
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Late in the evening on July 1, 2023, deputies of the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) were dispatched in response to a 911 call alleging a burglary in progress at a gas station in Summerville, South Carolina.
Upon arriving at the address of Sonny’s convenience store (512 Boone Hill Road) that evening at approximately 11:43 p.m. EDT, deputies encountered a 32-year-old male subject, later identified as Ismael Jerrod Clark, inside the establishment. Armed with a baseball bat, Clark had allegedly smashed his way into the store and begun using the bat to wreak havoc inside – destroying windows, doors and merchandise.
In attempting to apprehend Clark, responding deputies were compelled to defend themselves by discharging their service weapons.
“During an interaction between deputies and (Clark)… deputies fired shots,” a news release from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) noted. “Clark was shot and taken to the hospital for gunshot wounds.”
As is the case in most jurisdictions in the Palmetto State, DCSO requested SLED to investigate the incident – which resulted in Clark being charged with second-degree burglary on July 14, 2023.
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‘HIS WAY OR NO WAY…’
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Like so many violent criminals in South Carolina inexplicably excused from the consequences of their lawlessness by a broken system, Clark had a voluminous rap sheet prior to the 2023 burglary. He faced multiple previous charges dating back to 2012 for destruction of property and drug possession – and in 2017 he was charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a weapon and failure to stop for blue lights following an incident in Orangeburg County.
Clark was originally charged with attempted murder in connection with this incident after he allegedly rammed a marked cruiser of the S.C. Highway Patrol (SCHP) at more than 100 miles per hour following a high speed chase through the city of Orangeburg. During a subsequent bond hearing in Orangeburg County, a magistrate judge was unable to conduct Clark’s initial bond hearing due to him screaming and being disruptive in court.
“This individual has acted as if he is above the law, endangering the lives of law enforcement personnel as well as an innocent public,” Orangeburg County sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in the aftermath of that incident. “Even in court, he demonstrated it’s his way or no way.”
Clark received a five-year prison sentence on the assault charge but (surprise) was released early. In between the 2017 incident and the 2023 officer-involved shooting in Summerville, he was arrested in connection with several additional violent felony burglaries – but his sentences were always either suspended or reduced by the judges he appeared before. Two other charges for second degree burglary – one of which involved violence – were dropped by prosecutors.
Sound familiar? This lack of accountability is an ongoing cancer on our state… on multiple fronts.
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THE PRICE OF FAILURE…
If you’re wondering what all of this is building up to, we’ll end the suspense.
At approximately 12:16 a.m. EDT on the morning of Thursday, July 2, 2026 (i.e. one week ago), DCSO deputies were called to the same convenience store in Summerville in response to a ‘burglary in progress involving an armed suspect,” per the agency’s release.
That’s right… the same exact location. The same situation. And nearly same day of the year.
Oh, and the same suspect…
“Upon arriving at the scene, deputies encountered the suspect believed to be involved in the burglary,” the release continued. “During the encounter, a (DCSO) deputy discharged their department-issued firearm. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. The suspect has since been pronounced deceased.”
The suspect? Ismael Clark, 35, who in his final attempted burglary entered the convenience store carrying a black bottle in the shape of a pistol.
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“During an interaction between the deputy and the man, the man pointed an object at the deputy and deputy shot him,” a statement from SLED noted. “The object was determined to be a glass bottle shaped like a pistol and painted black.”
“Clark was the subject of a burglary and officer involved shooting at the same location on Saturday, July 1, 2023,” SLED’s release added.
According to reporters Abigail Quinn and Ian Kayanja of WCIV TV 4 (ABC – Charleston, S.C.), Clark’s family members are demanding the release of surveillance footage and body camera footage in connection with the incident.
“I feel like (police) can do a better job in serving and analyzing things before making irrational decisions like this situation here,” Clark’s cousin told the station.
While FITSNews has consistently called for the full release of all available video footage in connection with every officer-involved shooting, there has been absolutely zero credible suggestion that any of the responding officers in this case acted “irrationally.”
In fact, the only irrational behavior we see in this case involves South Carolina’s justice system repeatedly putting Clark back on the street despite his litany of prior bad acts.
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INSTITUTIONAL ‘INJUSTICE’
Less than a year before last week’s shooting, on July 29, 2025, Clark appeared before S.C. circuit court judge Heath Taylor. At that hearing, he received a seven-year sentence for a probation violation – a deal which included credit for time served and a promise of release once he had served four years of the sentence.
Inexplicably, eleven months later Clark was back on the streets perpetrating violent crime…
What happened? Our broken system happened… again.
As FITSNews has repeatedly documented, far too many South Carolina legislative leaders, judges and prosecutors habitually put the interests of violent criminals (and so-called restorative and social “justice”) ahead of the public’s safety and the constitutionally protected rights of crime victims.
It is asinine. It is abhorrent. And it is antithetical to the abiding principles of equity, righteousness and fairness our “justice” system is supposed to uphold.
And it must stop…
FITSNews has spent much of the past decade championing judicial reform in South Carolina, but sadly lawmakers have failed to deliver. Look for us to advance additional reforms in the coming months, including efforts to impose long-overdue truth-in-sentencing statutes.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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SOUND OFF…
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