A routine call on Johns Island, South Carolina, escalated into a life-threatening confrontation last week when a man previously deported from the country shot a Charleston County sheriff’s deputy during a pursuit. Local authorities confirmed that the suspect, identified by federal officials as Floriberto Perez-Nieto, died from injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire, while the deputy’s life was saved by his ballistic vest.
“This criminal illegal alien illegally obtained a firearm and nearly killed a law enforcement officer,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Thankfully, the officer’s body armor saved his life. There could have been quite a different tragic outcome for this officer and his family.”
The incident began late on the night of February 10, when deputies responded to reports of gunfire in a residential area. While the initial search turned up nothing, the same caller contacted police again around 3 a.m. the following morning to report that the individual had returned.
When deputies located the suspect’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, the driver fled, leading to a brief chase.
During the attempt to evade arrest, Perez-Nieto opened fire, striking one deputy directly in the chest. Other officers on the scene returned fire, hitting the suspect. Both the officer and Perez-Nieto were transported to a local hospital, where the suspect was later pronounced dead.
Despite being hit at close range, the deputy escaped serious injury thanks to the body armor he was wearing under his uniform.
Following the shooting, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released records indicating that Perez-Nieto was a Mexican national who had a history with federal immigration authorities.
Records show he had been removed from the country in February 2019 after an illegal entry. At some point following that deportation, he returned to the United States without authorization and obtained the firearm used in the February 11 shooting.
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