Man Responsible for The Killing of Two South Carolina Officers and The Injury of Five More is Currently Preparing For Sentencing

An elderly man from South Carolina, aged 79, is scheduled for sentencing this Thursday due to his involvement in the tragic event of killing two police officers and injuring five others during an ambush that transpired in October 2018. 

The man, Frederick Hopkins, orchestrated the ambush upon learning that detectives were en route to serve a search warrant on his son. Setting up a sniper's nest in a room on the second floor of his upscale Florence neighborhood, Hopkins unleashed a continuous hail of gunfire for approximately half an hour.

Last week, Hopkins entered a plea of guilty to two counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder during an unannounced hearing held over 100 miles away from the site of the shootings. As part of the plea agreement, the prosecution opted not to pursue the death penalty.

Given the circumstances, it is highly probable that Hopkins will receive a life sentence without the possibility of parole when the sentencing takes place at noon on Thursday. The incident unfolded when deputies, investigating Hopkins' adult son for potential sexual abuse, notified him in advance of their impending arrival with a search warrant. 

Without hesitation, Hopkins, a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, opened fire on the deputies before they could reach the front door. He persisted in his onslaught as additional officers rushed to the scene to aid their colleagues, causing a delay in rescuing the wounded officers until an armored vehicle could be secured for their protection.

Tragically, the day of the shooting claimed the life of Florence Police Sgt. Terrence Carraway, while Florence County Sheriff’s Deputy Farrah Turner succumbed to her injuries nearly three weeks later. Hopkins' son, Seth Hopkins, who was 33 years old at the time, had previously pleaded guilty in 2019 to second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Despite the public's curiosity, much of the case has remained shielded from the media and the public eye by the lawyers, prosecutors, and the judge involved. They collectively agreed to seal the courtroom during pre-trial hearings and to keep all relevant motions and records off South Carolina's public court records site. 

Hopkins had previously expressed concerns about the court system attempting to coerce him into pleading guilty with minimal evidence. Citing post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in Vietnam, Hopkins described the arrival of the officers as "police actions gone awry," recalling the "assault by more than a dozen officers" in dark uniforms, military helmets with camouflage, and drawn loaded pistols, which he deemed a "violent attack."

[SOURCE]