The woman was home alone in her bedroom at the time. She was protecting herself. The escaped inmate was armed with a knife and wearing an orange jumpsuit. She shot him once in the head. After, the woman called police to report she had shot an intruder, and McLaughlin was flown to the hospital. He was pronounced dead. There was no prior relationship or connection between the woman and McLaughlin.
The killed inmate
To escape from prison, McLaughlin and another inmate assaulted two detention officers, a man and a woman, locked them in a room and climbed over a fence. The other fugitive was recaptured shortly after the escape. He was charged Tuesday with kidnapping, assault, robbery and escape. The South Carolina woman is being hailed as a hero. She had undergone firearms training and was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. This helped her save her own life. “Very few people, even cops, go through situations like that, and she’s kind of a hero to us here today,” Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark appreciated. The woman wants to remain anonymous and asked the media to respect her privacy.
