Summerville, South Carolina – A former South Carolina police officer faces murder charges following the fatal shooting of a Winston-Salem man in Summerville. Anthony DeLustro, a former officer with the Summerville Police Department, has been accused of killing 39-year-old Michael O’Neal during an altercation at a Chick-fil-A restaurant. The incident took place while DeLustro was off duty, leading to his arrest by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
The investigation into the incident was taken over by the SLED at the request of the Summerville Police Department to ensure transparency and impartiality. According to witnesses and warrants issued by SLED, DeLustro was identified as the primary aggressor in the altercation. Witnesses reported that DeLustro and O’Neal were engaged in a physical fight, during which DeLustro allegedly threatened O’Neal with arrest and a firearm.
Despite claiming that he never saw O’Neal with a weapon and that O’Neal did not pose a threat, DeLustro fired a fatal shot at O’Neal as he attempted to drive away from the scene in his car. O’Neal succumbed to his injuries at the scene, prompting DeLustro’s arrest and subsequent booking into the Berkeley County Detention Center.
DeLustro’s defense of using deadly force due to fear for his safety and the community’s safety was refuted by eyewitness accounts and video evidence. O’Neal’s family expressed gratitude for the community support and called for justice to prevail during this difficult time.
The investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing, with the SLED leading the case. The tragic incident highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in law enforcement actions to ensure public safety and trust in the criminal justice system.
As the case unfolds, authorities continue to gather evidence and statements to determine the full extent of the events that led to O’Neal’s tragic death. The community awaits further developments in this case, hoping for a just resolution for the victim and his family.