COLUMBIA, S.C. – A lawyer for a Seneca police officer who shot and killed a South Carolina teen says the officer had to push off the teen's car to keep from being run over and fired his gun because he feared for his life.
The statement was released Friday at the same time Seneca police released the name of the officer, Lt. Mark Tiller. Authorities had refused to release the officer's name since the July 26 shooting of 19-year-old Zachary Hammond.
A lawyer for Hammond's family says autopsy results show the teen was shot through the driver's side window from behind, indicating there was no danger to the officer.
Authorities say Tiller was trying to take Hammond into custody after an undercover drug buy with a woman Hammond was taking on a date.
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