In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Greenville, South Carolina, Deputy Sheriff Eli Pittman, a 35-year-old male, was attempting to arrest a man he believed to be intoxicated. The situation tragically escalated as the individual, who had previously made threats against the deputy, opened fire. Deputy Pittman was struck by a handgun round on April 29, 1906.
Following the shooting, the suspect was shot and killed at the scene.
Deputy Pittman succumbed to his gunshot wound several hours later, on Monday, April 30, 1906. His death left behind his wife and two children. For many years, the story of his line-of-duty death was not widely known, even within his own family, until it was later uncovered, bringing long-overdue honor to his sacrifice.
