Delvin Tyrell Simmons, a 20-year-old student from Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina, was shot dead last night at Spartanburg Methodist College by a police officer. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family has since been notified and classes operated on a normal schedule today.
The shooting was reported just before 8:45 p.m last night near Powell Mill Road. Police were responding to a reported car break-in near Sparrow Resident Hall on the Spartanburg Methodist College campus, and Simmons – along with other suspect Oliver Chandler – ran upon arrival.
According to police reports, an officer pursued Delvin Tyrell Simmons, who quickly fled to a vehicle. He did not listen to verbal commands made by the officer and instead, struck the officer with the car. To protect himself, the officer shot at the vehicle and killed him.
Lieutenant Kevin Bobo with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said the responding officer feared for his life and defended himself by shooting at the vehicle. The officer was treated at the scene and is currently in stable condition.
Oliver Chandler – the second suspect – has since been charged with petit larceny and car-breaking. He was released from jail just before 10 a.m. this morning on $2,000 bail.
According to Fox Carolina,
Chandler admitted that he was involved in the car break-ins at Spartanburg Methodist College. He said he is also a student at Limestone College and said Simmons was his best friend.
The campus was placed on lockdown after the shooting and the school asked students to stay in their residence halls. Spartanburg Methodist said the lockdown was lifted as of 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday. Classes were expected to return to normal on Tuesday.
Deputies said there was never a threat to students. The number of shots and the direction in which they were fired has yet to be determined, according to deputies.
The shooting is the 42nd officer-involved shooting in the state this year.
Limestone College – the school that Simmons attended – released the following statement on Monday night’s shooting:
The thoughts and prayers of Limestone College are with the family and friends of one of its students who was killed during an incident at Spartanburg Methodist College on the evening of Nov. 9.
Two suspects were involved in the incident, and one was fatally wounded by an SMC Campus Police Officer.
The shooting victim, Delvin Tyrell Simmons of Ridgeway, SC, was currently enrolled at Limestone as an Early Childhood Education major. In his second year at the College, Mr. Simmons was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Call Me MISTER program.
The other suspect allegedly involved and taken into custody, Oliver Mylik Chandler, is a former student at Limestone. Chandler was suspended from Limestone for academic reasons effective in May 2015. A graduate of Darlington High School, he was a former member of the Limestone College football and track teams.
Limestone College expects all of its enrolled students to conduct themselves as good citizens and neighbors at both on and off-campus locations. We take pride in the responsibility of our students and the social and educational atmosphere of our campus. Limestone students are held responsible for their conduct at all times. Any student who engages in academic or social misconduct is subject to disciplinary action. The College reserves the right to withdraw from any student the privilege of attending Limestone for any lawful reason that the College deems appropriate.
Spartanburg Methodist College is a two-year school with about 800 students in the northern part of the state.
