Deputy Cleared in Shooting

The officer involved in on Oct. 28 has been cleared by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office of Professional Standards and is now back on active duty.

Public Information Officer Zach Hinton made the announcement on Tuesday after an internal investigation concluded that Deputy Jonathan Howard acted properly during an incident that came to a head when Eric Nicholson Jones reportedly charged at the deputy. 

At approximately 3 p.m., Oct. 28, the Sheriff's Office was notified of an apparently mentally-ill man causing a disturbance at a family member's home at 22 Windcrest Drive, off of Roper Mountain Road.

When the deputy made contact with Jones, he suddenly charged the deputy and tackled him, according to the GCSO.

The deputy reportedly commanded the subject to the get off of him multiple times. Eventually, the officer managed to grab his handgun, and fired a shot, which struck Jones in the chest.

Jones was treated for the wound and later charged with second-degree assault and battery of a law enforcement officer. He was released from the Greenville County Detention Center on $5,000 personal recognizance bond on Nov. 20.

Howard has been employed with the GCSO since Dec. 8, 2008, and is assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division.