Duty Death: Greg Alia - [Forest Acres]
End of Service: 30/09/2015
The News & Observer
FOREST ACRES, S.C. — A Forest Acres police officer was shot and killed outside of the Richland Mall in Forest Acres while responding to a call of a suspicious person, Forest Acres police officials said.
Police Chief Gene Sealy said 32-year-old Greg Alia was shot and killed while responding to a suspicious person call at the Richland Mall in Forest Acres.
“Our hearts are broken,” Sealy said. “Forest Acres is a small community, a small police department and one big family.”
Sealy said Jarvis Hall, 25, has been taken into custody following the shooting.
Alia and an officer he was training responded to the Richland Mall just before 8 a.m. in reference to a suspicious person call, Sealy said. When the officers arrived at the mall, Sealy said, they found Hall sitting inside of a tan van.
Sealy said when the officers began talking to Hall, he fled on foot from them and entered the Barnes & Noble bookstore. Once inside, Alia, who was in pursuit, got into a struggle with Hall, which is when Hall pulled out a handgun and shot Alia.
Sealy said Hall was also armed with a knife.
Flags outside of the Forest Acres Police Department have been lowered to half-staff following the news of Alias’ death.
Sealy said Alia was a graduate from Richland Northeast High School and the University of South Carolina. Alia was a 7-year veteran of the Forest Acres Police Department and lives in the Forest Acres community with his wife and infant child.
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