Tuesday night a gunman put a Kershaw County community on lockdown. Authorities say James Jackson was armed with a high-powered rifle and several handguns during a four hour standoff with police.
Everything happened Tuesday evening on Smyrna Road in Elgin. Investigators say Jackson cut his girlfriend with a razor, then barricaded himself in his family home. The standoff ended hours later when officers shot tear gas into the home.
"I heard this loud boom and it wasn't too long after that that they said it was over with," said neighbor Doris McGhee.
Tuesday nights standoff happened right in McGhee's backyard. She says the normally quiet Elgin community was turned upside down when her neighbor James Jackson barricaded himself inside his home.
"I guess about 15 or 20 police cars, and two were behind the trailer over here with policemen with guns drawn," said McGhee.
Authorities say police were called out after a disagreement between the 23-year-old Jackson and his girlfriend. Investigators say Jackson slashed Melissa McLemore with a razor. She is out of the hospital and recovering with family.
"It started as a result of issues between two children these two have together," said Kershaw Captain David Thomley. "And we also know this has been an ongoing domestic dispute."
A dispute that Thomley says quickly escalated putting an entire community at risk. After holing up in his family home, investigators say Jackson fire a high powered riffle at a deputy.
"Several guns were inside the home so it was a chance for this thing to get really out of hand," said Captain Thomley.
And after a chaotic night, Doris McGhee is happy things are back to normal.
Investigators say James Jackson shot and stabbed himself before surrendering. At last check he was still at the hospital. He is charged with two counts of Assault and Battery-with Intent to Kill. It's possible more charges could follow.
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