Hostage-Taker Near Simpsonville Shot, Killed By Deputies: Authorities

SIMPSONVILLE, SC — Greenville County deputies shot a hostage-taking man to death Monday near Simpsonville and now the state is investigating the shooting. The deputies arrived at a home around 4:45 p.m. Monday to look into an alarm call and found a man standing outside a building in the home's backyard, sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Flood said.

"The deputies challenged him. The man then ran back inside that building and yelled that he had a hostage," Flood said at a news conference Monday evening.

The man was shot and killed by at least one officer when he came back out of the building holding a gun with a woman beside him, Flood said. (For more information on the shooting and other Simpsonville stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

James Michael Chappell, 32, died at the scene, the Greenville County Coroner's Office said.

The woman and the officers were not hurt, Flood said.

Flood would not say if there were any attempts to negotiate with Chappell.

"(Deputies) did challenge him," Flood said. "As far as how long that took place, it is under investigation."

Chappell and the deputy who shot him were white.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating as is standard in most shootings involving police officers in South Carolina.

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