Greenville, South Carolina – A Greenville police officer was ambushed while sitting inside a marked patrol car after a suspect pulled up alongside the vehicle and opened fire, an attack captured on surveillance video and later ending with the gunman dead following a police pursuit.
Surveillance Video Shows Sudden Ambush
Video released by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division shows a vehicle entering a parking lot late at night and stopping directly next to the driver’s side of a Greenville Police patrol car. Within seconds, flashes of gunfire light up the scene as the suspect opens fire before speeding away, leaving the officer wounded inside the vehicle.
The injured officer was rushed to a hospital for treatment and has since been released, authorities confirmed.
Chase Ends With Suspect Dead
According to Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, deputies later located the suspect’s vehicle, triggering a brief pursuit. Officials said multiple exchanges of gunfire occurred during the chase, which ended when the suspect crashed his vehicle.
The Greenville County Coroner identified the suspect as David William Lane, 42, who was found dead inside the vehicle.
“This incident stemmed from an ambush-style attack against a Greenville city officer,” said Sheriff Hobart Lewis.
Prior Complaints About the Suspect
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to Fox News Digital that deputies had prior contact with Lane before Sunday’s ambush. According to officials, deputies received multiple complaints from neighbors on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 regarding Lane’s comments and behavior.
Deputies investigated each complaint and determined that while the behavior was concerning, it did not meet the legal threshold for a criminal arrest warrant.
Out of caution, administrators at the Hunting Downs apartment complex coordinated with deputies to hire off-duty sheriff’s deputies for added security. That security detail began on Jan. 8.
Surveillance Footage Raises Additional Concerns
A mother whose daughter lived at the apartment complex shared security video with Fox Carolina that appears to show Lane approaching her daughter’s apartment earlier this month while carrying a gun.
The woman told the outlet that Lane had been stalking her daughter and others at the complex and had made threatening statements prior to the shooting.
Independent Investigation Underway
At the request of both the Greenville Police Department and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, SLED has taken over the investigation. The agency said it will conduct a full, independent review, including witness interviews and forensic testing, before submitting its findings to prosecutors.
No additional details are being released while the investigation is ongoing.
Officer-Involved Shooting Statistics
SLED said the ambush marks the second officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026 and the first involving the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office this year. The agency reported that South Carolina recorded 45 officer-involved shootings in 2025, seven of which involved the sheriff’s office.
