James E. Murphy, courtesy Marlboro County Sheriff's Offce.
MARLBORO COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) - A Florence teen is in jail after police say he took part in a carjacking that ended with a confrontation and manhunt. The incident began Friday at 10:15 p.m. at an apartment complex on West Palmetto Street in Florence. Maj. Carlos Rains with Florence Police says two suspects approached the victim with a gun, then forced him into his car.
Shortly after, the Marlboro County Sheriff's deputies spotted the car in question and attempted to stop it on highway 38 near Coxe Road. Sheriff Fred Knight says, "When the vehicle stopped, two subjects exited the car and confronted the deputies at gun point. The Malboro County Sheriff's Office deputies fired upon the suspects and the suspects fled into a wooded area."
Deputies found James E. Murphy, 19, in the yard of a Coxe Road resident.
"The Malboro County Sheriff's Office then called for the State Law Enforcement Division for assistance with an additional tracking team and a helicopter. Both tracking teams tracked into the early morning hours of Saturday and did not locate the second suspect," explains Knight. "As a result of the track ran by the Malboro County Sheriff's Office tracking team, a handgun was found in the wooded area where the suspects were tracked and it was collected by SLED for evidence. As is in any officer involved shooting incident, SLED is conducting an investigation into the shooting."
Knight adds the two suspects assaulted and released the kidnapping victim in Dillon County before the two traveled to Marlboro County.
Murphy faces two counts of pointing and presenting a firearm and other charges are pending. He will also face charges from Florence Police Department and Dillon County Sheriff's Office.
The Bennettsville Police Department, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Highway Patrol and Dillon County Sheriff's Office all assisted in the manhunt and perimeter duties throughout the night. The Florence Police Dept. investigators assisted as well with the investigation.
