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Thursday, July 17, 2014
CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Authorities have released 911 calls and a police officer's communication on a shooting incident, which prosecutors and police officials say was a suicide, that left 19-year-old Denzel Curnell dead.
The incident happened on June 20 at the Bridgeview apartment complex. On Wednesday, authorities released radio communication of the responding officer, 911 calls, and dash cam video which showed police responding to the incident and investigating the scene.
In the radio communication released, the responding officer can be heard calling in a shooting and reporting the location.
"Shots fired Bridgeview! Shots fired Bridgeview!," the officer can be heard yelling to dispatch officials."Shots fired, one party down."
The officer can also be heard reporting that he's unharmed, providing a description of the person down and requesting EMS respond to the scene.
You can hear excerpts of the officer's radio communication here.
In the 911 calls released, two women are heard calling emergency dispatch responders some time after the incident, reporting that police are on the scene of a shooting, and asking when medical personnel will arrive.
"I'm calling, I don't have an address. I'm back here in Bayside," said the first caller."I'm just calling because I don't understand why someone's baby just got shot out here by one of the police officers. It's 9,000 police officers out here but there's no paramedics or nobody out here."
After telling the dispatch responder the location of the incident, she begins describing what she sees.
"This is horrible, this is just ridiculous," the woman tells the emergency dispatcher.
You can hear excerpts of the 911 calls here.
Last Monday, officials with the Ninth Circuit Solicitor's Office released a statement saying that they would not seek an indictment against the police officer who responded to the incident.
In a letter to SLED, Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said that the evidence made it "clear" that Curnell committed suicide outside the Bridgeview Apartments.
The responding officer's statement indicated that he stopped Curnell after finding it odd that he was wearing long sleeves, long pants and a hoodie over his head in 85 degree weather.
In a statement, the officer said through his experience of knowing criminals to over dress when a crime is about to be committed, he initiated an investigate stop on Curnell.
The officer said he attempted to escort Curnell to his patrol car, but Curnell resisted and eventually shot himself.
The Charleston Police Department responded then called in the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate the shooting.
Last week, Police Chief Gregg Mullen said SLED had closed the case Monday afternoon, but he had not seen the file yet.
Source: http://www.live5news.com/story/26038573/authorities-release-911-calls-received-in-denzel-curnell-shooting-incident If you, or someone you know, have any information regarding any crime, you are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers. You could earn a reward up to $1,000.Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 554-1111, toll free at 1-888-CRIME-SC, or online at www.5541111.com. Texters can send anonymous tips to CRIMES (274637), and mark the beginning of the message with "TIPCSL". Text STOP to 274637 to cancel. Text HELP to 274637 for help. Msg&Data Rates May Apply.