On September 20, 1977, Deputy Sheriff Sherman Robert Massey, 59, was shot and killed while serving a warrant for a domestic disturbance in Laurens County. Deputies encountered a man armed with a .38-caliber handgun; after an initial de-escalation the man suddenly opened fire. Massey was struck in the throat and died from that wound. A second deputy was wounded in the abdomen, while a third deputy, uninjured, returned fire and killed the shooter at the scene.

The encounter began as a routine service of a warrant and ended with multiple officers shot and one of their own killed. Details in the report focus on the rapid escalation from compliance to gunfire and the immediate fatal outcome for Deputy Massey. If anyone has recollections of the incident or knew Deputy Massey, please share information that could add to the record.