Campus Alert Archive
SC State

Gate Runner at SC State: Campus Officer Opens Fire After Driver Blows Past Entrance and Flees Toward Stadium

SCshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On the evening of March 29, 2024, a 27-year-old man attempted to drive onto the South Carolina State University campus, then fled from officers past the entrance gate at high speed. A campus police officer fired at the vehicle during a confrontation near the football stadium. The driver, Tyrik Willie Joe Pressley III, suffered a graze wound and was charged with attempted murder and failure to stop for a blue light.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
1
Institution
South Carolina State University
Hbcu · SC
~2,500 studentsBulldog News / Rave Guardian
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTPush
Approximate reconstruction126 chars
SCSU ALERT: There is active police activity near the football stadium. Avoid the area and remain indoors until further notice.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from news coverage of the incident; exact alert text not publicly available
The confrontation occurred after the driver fled from officers at the campus entrance gate toward the stadium area
ALL CLEARPush
Approximate reconstruction164 chars
SCSU UPDATE: The police situation near the stadium has been resolved. The suspect is in custody. There is no further threat to campus. Normal operations may resume.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from news coverage; Pressley was taken into custody and transported to a hospital for treatment
SLED assumed the investigation as standard protocol for officer-involved shootings in South Carolina
Context

Background

On the evening of March 29, 2024, South Carolina State University campus police encountered a man attempting to drive onto the campus who then fled from officers at the entrance gate. Officers pursued the vehicle, and during a confrontation near the football stadium, a campus police officer discharged their weapon. The driver was identified as Tyrik Willie Joe Pressley III, 27, who suffered a graze wound -- it remained unclear whether the wound was caused by a bullet or other debris. Pressley was transported to the hospital for treatment and then charged with attempted murder and failure to stop for a blue light. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) assumed control of the investigation as standard protocol for officer-involved shootings. No campus officers were injured. This was the second shooting incident at SC State in less than two months, following a dormitory shooting in Hodge Hall on February 6, 2024.
Analysis

Key Findings

The incident marked SLED's 12th officer-involved shooting investigation in South Carolina in 2024 and was the first for SC State's campus police
The driver was charged with attempted murder despite being the one who was shot, suggesting he posed a threat to the officer
This was the second shooting incident at SC State in under two months
Outcome
Pressley was treated at a hospital for a graze wound and then charged with attempted murder and failure to stop for a blue light. No officers were injured. SLED took over the investigation as the 12th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    SLED agents respond to officer-involved shooting at SC State campus (WIS-TV)
    wistv.com
  2. News
    Man facing charges in officer-involved shooting at S.C. State University (ABC Columbia)
    abccolumbia.com
  3. Official
    SLED investigating officer involved shooting in Orangeburg County (SLED)
    sled.sc.gov
  4. News
    SLED investigates shooting involving officer at SC State (WLTX)
    wltx.com
Tags
officer-involved-shootinghbcusouth-carolinavehicle-pursuitcampus-gatesled-investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion