Agents of the S.C. Law Enforcement Division continue their investigation of an incident Sunday morning in which a man shot and killed an Airport Public Safety Officer during a traffic stop at Florence Regional Airport.
The suspect initially fled the scene but was later apprehended by Florence County Deputies, according to a SLED press release. The suspect in custody is James Edward Bell, age 37.
Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken confirms that the officer killed at the Florence Regional Airport is Jackson Ryan Winkeler, 26 years of age, of Dillon.
Cooper Funeral Home of Dillon is handling the arrangements for Winkeler.
The incident in Florence County is the first officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2020, SLED says.
SLED conducts law enforcement officer involved shooting investigations at the request of the agency involved in the incident.
These independent investigations follow SLED’s guidance in conducting interviews along with the gathering and analysis of forensic evidence. Interviews are being conducted with the responding officers and others.
Information gathered in the SLED investigation of the incident will be summarized in a case file report to be submitted to prosecutors.
This is an ongoing investigation. No other information about the case will be disclosed by SLED at this time.
