Earlier today around noon,
several of our deputies assigned to our Warrant Division attempted a traffic
stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Old Converse Rd. and E. Main St. in
the Converse community of Spartanburg County, since both the female driver and
the male passenger had general sessions bench warrants on them that had been
active since the first of April. Both occupants of the vehicle were wanted for
Failure to Appear for the offenses of Manufacturing Drugs – 3 counts, Unlawful
Neglect of a Child, and the male had an additional Possession of Weapons
charge. The vehicle failed to pull over, and a pursuit ensued. During the
pursuit, the male passenger appeared through the sun roof of the vehicle and
fired an assault rifle numerous times at the deputies who attempted the traffic
stop, striking their vehicles, resulting in those deputies returning fire. The
male passenger firing the assault rifle was also witnessed by other uniform
patrol deputies and investigators who were responding to assist our warrant
officers. The pursuit ended in the Lakeview Manor community off Mt. Pleasant
Rd. The male passenger was located at a residence on Thurgood Marshall Rd., where
it was discovered he had suffered a single gunshot wound to a leg. The female
driver and the vehicle were located at another residence on Benjamin Mays Dr.
The assault rifle was also recovered at another location in Lakeview Manor. The
male was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injury, and the
female was transported to the office to be interviewed by our investigators and
agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The male has
since been released from the hospital, and both he and the female are now being
transported to our detention facility. One of our violent crime investigators
met with a magistrate who approved warrants on the male passenger for 3 counts
of Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a
Violent Crime. That magistrate also approved warrants on the female driver for
Accessory Before the Fact of a Felony and Accessory After the Fact of a Felony.
The male passenger is Jurrell Keith Thompson, B/M, DOB: 031685, and the female
driver is Jodi Lea Stapleton, W/F, DOB: 022483, both reside at 15 Heritage
Court, Spartanburg, SC, 29307. Attached above is a copy of our incident report
and the latest booking photos of both suspects. Copies of the warrants are not
available at this time. Because of SLED's active investigation of our deputies'
actions, this agency won't have any further comment about this incident. Our
deputies involved in today's incident are on paid administrative leave until an
internal review can be completed.
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