US man jumps into lake after cops arrive to issue warrant for someone else, drowns

Last Sunday, tragedy struck in South Carolina when a 38-year-old American man, Chuck Gilbert Shelton, drowned in Lake Cunningham after he jumped into the water upon seeing police allegedly searching for someone else. The incident occurred on July 23, and despite deputies diving into the lake to rescue Shelton, they were unable to locate him.

According to the Greenville County Sheriff's Office, Shelton had no connection to the warrant being executed, yet he fled the scene for reasons unknown. Later, the Sheriff's dive team was called to search for Shelton, and his lifeless body was recovered, as stated in an official statement.

Authorities believe the cause of death to be accidental drowning in the freshwater lake. However, the individual for whom the police were originally searching has not been identified.

This tragic incident is a rare case where a person, despite having no involvement in the situation, reacted by fleeing from law enforcement and ultimately lost their life. In contrast, recent incidents have shed light on cases of wrongful arrests by the police.

One such instance occurred in February 2019 when Nijeer Parks was falsely accused of stealing candy and attempting to hit a police officer with his car at a Hampton Inn in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Despite being 30 miles away from the scene at the time, facial recognition software incorrectly identified him.

In a report, Parks had to endure 10 days in jail and pay $5,000 for his defense. Eventually, in November, the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence. A year later, Parks filed a lawsuit against the police department, citing "false arrest, false imprisonment, and violation of his civil rights."