COLUMBIA, S.C. — A grand jury has refused to lodge an attempted-murder charge against a South Carolina police officer who stepped in front of a car driven by a teen, and then fired seven shots at the vehicle as it drove away.
Prosecutors sought the indictment against Forest Acres police officer Robert Cooper last week. The decision by a grand jury to refuse to sign an indictment is rare in South Carolina. One defense attorney estimates it happens in less than 1 percent of cases.
The one-page document filed April 12 by Solicitor Dan Johnson gives no reason why authorities thought Cooper should be charged in the May 19 shooting.
Cooper was checking on a noise complaint in the suburb about 5 miles east of downtown Columbia when Antwon Gallmon, 17, jumped from the passenger seat of a car into the driver’s seat and began to drive off.
A video from Cooper’s dashboard camera showed him chasing the car on foot, then standing in front of it as Gallmon tried to turn around.
Cooper is white and Gallmon, who was wounded, is black.
Johnson did not return a phone call or email asking why he sought the indictment.