A violent encounter on Wednesday afternoon, March 20, in Summerville, South Carolina, resulted in the fatal shooting of North Carolina resident Michael P. O’Neal, 39, and injuries to an off-duty Summerville Police officer, identified as Anthony DeLustro. The incident stemmed from a dispute between the two men.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is spearheading the investigation into the event, which took place near a Chick-fil-A restaurant on North Main Street around 1 pm. Further details about the altercation have not yet been released.

Darnell Hartwell, Berkeley County Coroner, verified O’Neal’s identity and stated that his death was due to a gunshot wound. The circumstances leading up to the altercation are still being scrutinized as investigators attempt to reconstruct the day’s events.

The off-duty officer was hit by a vehicle during the incident and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention. Summerville Police Department’s Captain Chris Hirsch clarified that DeLustro’s injuries were caused by the vehicle impact, not a gunshot.

“Our job is to find the facts and that is what we are here to do today. We understand that people are getting off in-between jobs and things like that but again that’s a part of the process to make sure that we investigate these cases very thoroughly,” Hartwell said.

This incident is the second officer-involved shooting in Summerville in 2024, triggering a substantial law enforcement response and investigation.

For several hours, the area around the Chick-fil-A and North Main Street was sealed off, causing a significant disruption to local traffic as crime scene units and investigators performed their duties.

Summerville Police issued public advisories requesting people to avoid the affected area to aid the ongoing investigation. The heavy police presence and operational caution underline the gravity with which the authorities are handling the situation.

Family members of O’Neal have stated that he harbored no animosity towards the police. Tom Nail, O’Neal’s cousin, confirmed that O’Neal was the individual seen in the black shirt in the video footage of the escalating incident. Nail believes the outcome may have been different if O’Neal had known he was confronting an officer.

“Michael would’ve never fought a cop,” Nail asserted. “If he had known that that was a police officer, there’s no way that there would’ve been any altercation whatsoever. Michael would’ve stopped in his tracks.”

“He was a man who gave generously to family, friends, and anyone. He was always smiling,” Nail added.