YORK, South Carolina -- Michael “Mike” Doty, the York County deputy who was one of four law enforcement officers shot in a Tuesday incident involving a domestic violence suspect, has died.
York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson confirmed Doty’s death at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte Wednesday around 7 p.m.
Officers Randy Clinton and Buddy Brown of the sheriff’s office and Kyle Cummings of the York Police Department also were shot in the attack and are recovering at CMC after surgeries.
Doty’s twin brother, Chris, also is a sheriff's office deputy.
Mike Doty was 37 years old, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the sheriff's office.
York Police Chief Andy Robinson, whose department had one officer wounded, said Mike Doty’s death "hurts us all in the law enforcement brotherhood."
Yet Robinson said police officers will not be deterred from protecting the public and their resolve.
"Every one of my officers, and every officer from other departments I have talked to since this happened, remains committed to helping protect people and serving people," Robinson said. "The best way we can honor Mike Doty is to do what we as police do –serve everyone else."
Police and prosecutors say Doty was shot by Christian Thomas McCall Tuesday after McCall ambushed Doty and the other officers.
McCall now could face murder charges in Mike Doty's death, and possibly the death penalty.
While not commenting on the evidence in the case, 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett said late Wednesday after confirming Doty's death that the same evidence in the case where he has advised police to seek attempted murder warrants against McCall for shooting the other three officers would support seeking murder charges against McCall.
Brackett declined to comment further on the case or if prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
However, Brackett confirmed Tuesday in a news conference when questioned by The Herald that a murder case involving a police officer as a victim does qualify under South Carolina law for potential capital punishment prosecution.
Doty started with the sheriff's office in 2006 after working for the York Police Department. He worked as a detective with the York County drug unit, as well as other duties including being a member of the SWAT team.
Doty, Cummings and Brown all were working as SWAT members when they were shot while searching for McCall, police said.
Doty was assigned to the northern York County part of the county drug unit based out of an office at the Fort Mill Police Department. Jeff Helms, Fort Mill Police Department chief of police, said Doty was "family."
"When family dies, it hurts," Helms said late Wednesday.
Helms also said that his officers, and others who knew Doty, will continue to serve the public with professionalism because that's what Mike Doty did all during his career.
Funeral arrangements for Mike Doty are pending.
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