Former Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputy in training Matthew Blakley experienced previous gun misuse on the job.
According to Aiken County personnel records, an incident occurred on April 6 when Blakley pulled out his gun from his holster and attempted to horseplay with another deputy, according to personnel files.
Other deputies saw this act and quickly advised him to put the weapon away, according to reports.
This event caused Blakley to be suspended and put on probation from his position at the Aiken County detention center, which is what he was hired as, according to Aiken County personnel files.
Blakley is facing involuntary manslaughter charges after accidentally shooting his wife at their home Saturday, and he has been fired from the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, according to a press release.
The witness at the scene of the accident, Aiken County Sheriff's Office deputy Matthew Murphy, has taken personal time, according to Aiken County Sheriff's Capt. Eric Abdullah, who added it is customary after a traumatic event such as this for a deputy to do so.
Murphy is expected to return to work on Friday.
The S.C. State Law Enforcement Division is still investigating the shooting and will not comment until investigations are completed.
'Not a deputy'
Blakley was not a deputy, according to Sheriff's Office employees and Aiken County Human Resource Director Gayle Wolman.
On Thursday, the Aiken Standard was contacted by Wolman who said Blakley never completed the Academy training to be considered a deputy.
However, in previous press releases from the Sheriff's Office and Aiken County Coroner concerning the fatal Saturday shooting of Blakley's wife, Blakley was referred to as a "deputy."
In Blakley's personnel files, and corrective action forms, he is referred to as a "deputy" and was given the position titled "Deputy I."
On the scene of the incident Saturday, Blakley told responding North Augusta officers repeatedly he was a deputy with the Aiken County Sheriff's Office, according to reports.
Abdullah confirmed Blakley was a uniformed employee and deputy in training, and was never issued a badge or Aiken County Sheriff's Office firearm in connection with his jail duties.
FOIA Act
The Aiken Standard has filed a Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, request with SLED and other investigative agencies.
The request includes access to dash-cam video from the vehicles of the responding North Augusta officers, which are considered public records under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act.
Body-cam video is still exempt from the Act under a law passed by the S.C. General Assembly earlier this month and signed into law by Gov. Nikki Haley; however, the body-cam footage also was requested.
Along with SLED, the City of North Augusta and Second Circuit Solicitor Strom Thurmond Jr. have received requests and now have 13 business days to respond.
Will Whaley is the crime and court reporter for the Aiken Standard.