South Carolina man shot dead by Opelika police after interstate crash identified

A South Carolina man has been identified as a motorist fatally shot by Alabama law enforcement responding to an interstate crash.

Alabama law enforcement on Wednesday identified the man killed as Damion Laddal Jones. He was 33 years old and lived in Easley, South Carolina.

Opelika police responded at 2:35 p.m. Tuesday to a report of a traffic crash on Interstate 85 involving an 18-wheeler and a car, authorities said. When they arrived, they were confronted by a person with a knife – now identified as Jones.

Sergeant ALEA. Jeremy Burkett said the officers gave Jones repeated verbal commands to drop the knife, but instead he charged toward the officers, “leading the police to engage and shoot the suspect.”

Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have not said whether Jones was involved in the traffic crash.

As is standard procedure, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency/State Bureau of Investigation was called in to lead the investigation. Once completed, the results will be turned over to the Lee County Sheriff's Office for presentation to a grand jury.