In the early morning hours of November 5, 2017, the quiet of a neighborhood in Laurens, South Carolina, was broken by the sound of gunfire. When deputies from the Laurens County Sheriff's Office arrived at a home on Colonial Acres Road, they found Michael Eric McCraney, a 35-year-old White/Caucasian male, deceased. He had sustained two shotgun blasts, one of which was to his neck.
Initially, McCraney's death was investigated as a homicide.
However, as the Laurens County Sheriff's Office and the 8th Circuit Solicitor's Office delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, a different narrative emerged. After a thorough review of the evidence, authorities concluded that the shooting was an act of self-defense.
Ultimately, McCraney's death was ruled a justifiable homicide, and no criminal charges were filed in the case. The identity of the individual responsible for the shooting was not publicly released by law enforcement. The investigation was officially closed, with the conclusion that the use of lethal force was warranted under the circumstances. Michael Eric McCraney was a resident of Laurens and had attended Laurens District 55 High School, as well as colleges in Charleston and Spartanburg. A memorial service was held for him at the First Baptist Church of Laurens on November 8, 2017.
