Sheriff's office mourns the loss of Upstate deputy after dying from complications of cancer (2024)

HERE’S CAROLYN MARK WYFF NEWS FOUR AT SIX STARTS RIGHT NOW. SEVERAL BICYCLISTS RIDING INTO THE UPSTATE THIS AFTERNOON TO HONOR A DEPUTY WHO WAS KILLED WHILE ON THE JOB TWO YEARS AGO. YOU MADE US AN UNKNOWING CONTRIBUTOR TO MAKING PEOPLE SICK. A LOCAL HAIRSTYLIST SPEAKS ON THE GROWING CONCERNS AFTER REPORTS OF WOMEN SUFFERED DEVASTATING IMPACTS FROM USING HAIR RELAXERS. HOTTER TODAY AND GETTING HOTTER TOMORROW 92 TO 93. THE HIGHS SATURDAY ACROSS A GOOD CHUNK OF THE UPSTATE. HOW MUCH HOTTER WE’RE GOING TO GET EARLY NEXT WEEK AHEAD IN YOUR FORECAST, WE WILL PRODUCE SIX FULLY ELECTRIFIED VEHICLES UNTIL 2030. BMW REVEALS BIG PLANS FOR ITS MANUFACTURER SITE IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. TONIGHT WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT HOW THIS WILL BOOST THE ECONOMY. WE ARE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. THREE PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER A SHOOTING AT AN ARKANSAS GROCERY STORE. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WERE SHOT, INCLUDING TWO POLICE OFFICERS AND THE SUSPECT. AND THE SHOOTING HAPPENED THIS MORNING IN FORDYCE, ARKANSAS. OFFICIALS SAYING TONIGHT THE SUSPECT WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AFTER BEING SHOT BY POLICE. THE TWO OFFICERS WHO WERE SHOT ARE EXPECTED TO BE OKAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING YOU UPDATES ON THIS STORY AS WE LEARN MORE TODAY MARKS TWO YEARS SINCE SPARTANBURG COUNTY DEPUTY AUSTIN ALDRIDGE WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. HE WAS JUST 25 YEARS OLD, AND HIS MEMORY AND IN THE MEMORIES OF OTHER FALLEN OFFICERS, CAROLINA BROTHERHOOD HELD THEIR ANNUAL RIDE AND THEY ARE MAKING A STOP IN SPARTANBURG. REY LLERENA JOINS US LIVE NOW WITH THE LATEST RAY. JUST MOMENTS AGO, THOSE RIDERS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED JUST PULLED INTO HERE, THE SPARTANBURG YMCA, AFTER A RIDE THAT STARTED CLOSE TO 100 MILES AWAY IN STATESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, AND THEY CAME INTO A SYMPHONY OF CLAPPING, SIRENS SOUNDING AND BAGPIPES PLAYING TO HONOR THOSE FALLEN FIRST RESPONDERS. NOW I’M GOING TO TAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TODAY TO SKY4, WHICH GAVE US AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK OVER THE RIDE AS THEY CROSSED INTO SPARTANBURG COUNTY. THIS IS THE 12TH YEAR THE ORGANIZATION IS RIDING THROUGH THE CAROLINAS, THAT ORGANIZATION BEING CAROLINA BROTHERHOOD. THIS YEAR THEY ARE HONORING 26 FALLEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, INCLUDING DEPUTY AUSTIN ALDRIDGE, WHO DIED TWO YEARS AGO TODAY WHILE RESPONDING TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL. DEPUTY ALDRIDGE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER, WHO WAS BORN MONTHS AFTER HIS DEATH. NOW THESE RIDERS AREN’T DONE JUST YET. THE FINAL LEG OF THEIR RIDE WILL BE TOMORROW, STARTING FROM HERE AT THE YMCA AND FINISHING IN COLUMBIA LIVE IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, REY LLERENA WYFF NEWS FOUR. ROY THANK YOU. TONIGHT WE HAVE A CLOSE UP VIEW OF SOME OF THE JETS THAT HAVE BEEN FLYING OVER THE UPSTATE RECENTLY. THE NAVY SAYS T-55S HAVE BEEN TRAINING OUT OF GSP SINCE JUNE 10TH. THIS IS AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT SOME OF THE TRAINING FROM SKY4 OFFICIALS TELL US THE T-45 TRAINING WAS SET TO END TODAY. FOR MORE ON THESE FLIGHTS AND THE RECENT SONIC BOOMS FROM F-16 TESTING, YOU CAN TURN TO OUR WEBSITE AND THE WHY F FOUR MOBILE APP. LET’S TURN TO WEATHER NOW, A LIVE LOOK AT MYRTLE BEACH TONIGHT. OH, SURE LOOKS NICE. METEOROLOGIST GRIFFIN HARDY IS IN FOR CHRIS TONIGHT. GRIFFIN HAS THE REST OF THE NIGHT AND THIS WEEKEND AHEAD. LOOK BACK HERE AT HOME. IT JUST LOOKS HOT FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND. AND LUCKILY IT’S STILL DRY. LOTS OF SUNSHINE RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE UPSTATE SITTING AT 89 IN GREENVILLE. WE MADE IT UP TO 90 TODAY. 91 RIGHT NOW IN PICKENS, CLEMSON AND ANDERSON, 90, IN LAURENS. A LITTLE COOLER IN THE MOUNTAINS AS USUAL. 83 IN ASHEVILLE AND HENDERSONVILLE, 89 TO 90 IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA TOWARDS HARTWELL AND ELBERTON. SOME FAIR-WEATHER CLOUDS SHOWING UP OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. BUT IT’S PRETTY MUCH ALL SUNSHINE ACROSS THE REST OF THE UPSTATE. A FEW SHOWERS DOWN TOWARDS THE LOW COUNTRY. THAT IS THANKS TO A TROPICAL WAVE, WHICH IS NOT QUITE A TROPICAL DEPRESSION IN THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER’S NOT DECIDING NOT TO NAME IT A DEPRESSION JUST BECAUSE IT’S TOO WEAK FOR THAT. THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT CAN’T CAUSE INCLEMENT WEATHER. IF YOU’RE HEADED DOWN TO THE BEACH THIS WEEKEND, PLAN ON SOME POSSIBLE MORE SHOWERS THAN USUAL THAN A TYPICAL WEEKEND AT THE BEACH THAT WILL BE THE STORY FOR THE NEXT DAY AND A HALF. TWO DAYS AS THAT TROPICAL WAVE MEANDERS DOWN TOWARDS THE COAST FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT. TONIGHT, MEANWHILE, BACK HERE AT HOME, LOW 80S BY 9 P.M., LOW 70S BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH A CLEAR SKY IN A FULL MOON. GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY IT FOR EARLY TOMORROW MORNING IN THE MOUNTAINS. IT WILL WAKE UP. WE’LL WAKE UP TO LOW 60S IN THE HIGHS TOMORROW IN THE UPSTATE. LOOK LIKE 92 TO 93. WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW MUCH HOTTER NEXT WEEK WILL BE COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. GRIFFIN THANK YOU BMW MAN BRINGS FIRST PRESS SHOP IN NORTH AMERICA. WILL BE IN THE UPSTATE WHILE CELEBRATING 30 YEARS IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY WITH STATE LEADERS LIKE GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER AND SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED THAT MORE CHANGES ARE COMING. OUR PENNIX JOINS US LIVE FROM BMW WITH EXACTLY WHAT’S IN STORE. WELL, GOOD EVENING MARK. THIS NEW PRESS SHOP MEANS MORE JOBS COMING TO OUR AREA. SO VERY EXCITING NEWS. NOW DURING THE CEREMONY, THE BMW X3 MADE ITS NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT AND GUESTS GOT TO SEE HOW THE PRESS SHOP WILL WORK TO STAMP SHEET METAL PARTS FOR THE NEW MODEL. BMW SAYS THEY INVESTED $200 MILLION INTO THIS PRESS SHOP AND SAYS THE PRESS SHOP WILL BRING IN 200 JOBS AS SINGS IN 30 YEARS, WE ARE A CONSTANT CONTINUOUS GROWTH PATH. WE INVESTED OVER 13 BILLION USD HERE RIGHT IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SPARTANBURG. WE EMPLOY AT THE MOMENT OVER 11,000 ASSOCIATES. RIGHT NOW. AND THIS WILL CONTINUE. AFTER 30 YEARS IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, THE COMPANY SAYS THEIR FUTURE IS BRIGHT, AND THE CEO SAYS THEY PLAN TO ASSEMBLE SIX ELECTRIC VEHICLES AT LEAST IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS. FOR NOW, REPORTING LIVE IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, TANIQUA PENNIX WYFF NEWS FOUR TANIQUA. THANK YOU TO COMMITMENT 2024 COVERAGE. NOW, THE PRIMARY RUNOFF IS JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY AND LEADING UP TO TUESDAY, WE ARE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT SEVERAL OF THE RACES IN OUR AREA. ONE OF THOSE IS THE RACE FOR PICKENS COUNTY SHERIFF ON THE BALLOT. OUR CURRENT CHIEF DEPUTY, CHUCK JAMES, AND TRAINING LIEUTENANT TOMMY BLANKENSHIP. EACH OF THE CANDIDATES HAS WORKED WITH THE PICKENS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS. WE ASKED BOTH OF THEM WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE IF ELECTED SHERIFF, BECAUSE WE NEED TO GROW THE AGENCY. RIGHT NOW, WE ONLY HAVE 1.3 DEPUTIES PER 1000 CITIZENS IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, AND WE HAVE TO GET THAT NUMBER UP SO THAT WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE CITIZENS OF PICKENS COUNTY. PEOPLE SEE THE CULTURE OF THE AGENCY SHIFT FROM M US JUST BEING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DOING OUR JOB TO A GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE THERE THAT HAVE A HEART FOR SERVICE. THEIR DESIRE IS TO GET OUT AND TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY. THERE WERE NO DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR PICKENS COUNTY SHERIFF. THAT MEANS THE RUNOFF ELECTION ON TUESDAY WILL DECIDE THE PICKENS COUNTY SHERIFF’S RACE AND EARLY VOTING FOR THAT PRIMARY RUNOFF HAS COME TO AN END. POLLS FOR EARLY VOTING CLOSED JUST OVER AN HOUR AGO. THE RUNOFF, AS CAROL JUST MENTIONED, IS ON TUESDAY. POLLING CENTERS WILL BE OPEN FROM 7 A.M. TO 7 P.M. ANYONE IN LINE BEFORE CLOSING TIME WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE. A VALID PHOTO ID, HOWEVER, IS REQUIRED. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS SET TO ADDRESS CONGRESS IN A MONTH AND WE HAD A CHANCE TODAY TO ASK SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM ABOUT THE UPCOMING VISIT. ISABELLA MAVERICK JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON WHAT HE THINKS THE REACTION WILL BE FROM CONGRESS. ISABEL. YEAH. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM SAYS IT WILL MOST LIKELY BE A SPLIT REACTION. HE SAYS REPUBLICANS WILL BE ENTHUSIASTIC. SOME DEMOCRATS WILL BE RESPECTFUL, AND LIBERALS WILL BE UPSET. HE ALSO MENTIONS THAT HE HAS BEEN TO ISRAEL AND SAUDI ARABIA FIVE TIMES SINCE THE WAR STARTED. HE SAYS ISRAEL NEEDS WEAPONS NOW TO WIN THE WAR, AND THEY CAN’T AFFORD TO LOSE. AS LONG AS I HAVE THIS JOB, I WILL BE IN ISRAEL’S CAMP BECAUSE THOSE WHO WANT TO KILL THE ISRAELIS ALSO WANT TO KILL US. HOW ISRAEL DOES DEPENDS A LOT ON HOW WE WILL DO. WE CAN’T EQUIVOCATE. WE CAN’T BE UNCERTAIN. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT EVERY TIME THE U.S. IS HARD ON ISRAEL, IT GIVES HAMAS HOPE. SENATOR GRAHAM ALSO SAYS THAT HE SUPPORTS THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER AND SAYS IT IS A JOKE THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAS BEEN CHARGED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT. BACK TO YOU. AS WELL. THANK YOU. TONIGHT, PRISMA AND UNITED HEALTH CARE CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS ON A NEW COVERAGE AGREEMENT. ACCORDING TO A UNITED HEALTH CARE, THEY DELIVERED A NEW PROPOSAL TO PRISMA ON JUNE 14TH. AND IN A NEW STATEMENT SAID, OUR LATEST OFFER WOULD ENSURE PRISMA IS REIMBURSED AT RATES THAT ARE MORE THAN FAIR AND REASONABLE. WE HOPE PRISMA FINALIZES THE TERMS OF OUR PROPOSAL OR PROVIDES A COUNTER THAT IS ACCEPTABLE AND AFFORDABLE FOR SOUTH CAROLINA FANS AND THE EMPLOYERS. WE COLLECTIVELY SERVE. END QUOTE. PRISMA SAYS IN PART, QUOTE, WE ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN DISCUSSIONS WITH UNITED, BUT THEIR MOST RECENT PROPOSAL STILL DOES NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE RISING COSTS THAT PRISMA HEALTH