Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

SC officer who killed unarmed teen fired 13 months later

SENECA, S.C. – A police officer who wasn’t charged in the shooting death of an unarmed South Carolina teen is being fired from the force more than a year after the incident.

Seneca Police Chief John Covington said in a short statement that Mark Tiller was being terminated and would stay on the payroll until Friday. He refused to give a reason, calling it a personnel matter.

A state prosecutor didn’t press charges against Tiller for the July 2015 killing of 19-year-old Zachary Hammond, saying while Tiller might have made a bad decision heading toward Hammond’s moving car, the officer had less than three seconds to react and broke no law.

Federal authorities are still investigating.

Hammond’s family released a statement saying they are glad Tiller will no longer be a police officer.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles