In the winter of 2018, the community of York, South Carolina, was shaken by the loss of one of its own. Detective Michael R. Doty, a 37-year-old male, died on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, after being shot in the line of duty. A 12-year veteran of the York County Sheriff's Office, Doty was part of a SWAT team searching for a domestic violence suspect.
The incident began late on a Monday night when deputies responded to a domestic violence call.
The suspect, identified as 47-year-old Christian Thomas McCall, had assaulted a woman and fled the scene, sparking an intense manhunt. Hours later, in the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 16th, McCall ambushed the officers searching for him. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Detective Doty and three other officers were shot. Doty was critically injured and flown to a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he succumbed to his wounds the following day. The other three officers survived their injuries.
McCall was also wounded during the shootout and was taken into custody. In May 2018, to avoid the death penalty, Christian McCall pleaded guilty to murder for the death of Detective Doty, as well as three counts of attempted murder for the other officers he shot. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For the attempted murder charges, he received an additional 110 years to be served consecutively.
Detective Doty was remembered as a dedicated officer who was passionate about his work, particularly in helping those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. He served as an investigator with the York County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit and was the coordinator for the Law Enforcement Officer Narcan Program. His death was a profound loss for his family, colleagues, and the entire York County community.
