EASLEY — Further details have emerged about a domestic disturbance that led to two people being shot at a residence on Pope Field Road last Tuesday.
The Pickens County Sheriffs’s Office responded to a call March 1 in which Brandi Anderson and Clay Anderson had both been shot during a fight after a third party intervened. A single shot was fired, striking Brandi Anderson in the hand and Clay Anderson in the chest.
“(We) have confirmed that there were a total of four adults and no children at the residence when the shooting occurred,” said Chief Deputy Creed Hashe. “Three of the four individuals have been interviewed at length by the Sheriff’s Office and the fourth subject (Clay Anderson) remains hospitalized.”
Sheriff’s detectives have not been able to interview Anderson due to his injury, Hashe said.
According to Hashe, Brandi Anderson, who had been separated from her husband since 2015, was in the process of moving into the house at 524 Pope Field Road with the help of two friends when Clay Anderson arrived without warning and refused to leave despite being asked several times to do so.
“A verbal confrontation erupted between the Andersons and was witnessed by the two friends that were on the scene,” said Hashe. “Mr. Anderson physically grabbed Mrs. Anderson and held her hostage while threatening to kill her and the other two subjects at the scene. One of the friends called 911 for assistance as the other friend retrieved a handgun from a vehicle parked in the driveway. Mr. Anderson was instructed to release his wife by the friend as additional threats to kill her were made by Mr. Anderson.”
Witness statements said that Anderson then pushed his wife into the friend as he lunged toward the friend holding the weapon, a 9mm handgun. A single shot was fired at Clay Anderson that struck the wife in the hand, passing through it, before striking Clay Anderson in the chest.
Hashe said that sheriff’s detectives have confirmed that Mr. Anderson never lived at the location and that he has a history of domestic violence against his wife.
Court records confirm that Clay Anderson was issued an Order of Protection against domestic abuse toward Mrs. Anderson in 2011 by the Family Court.
“In August (2001), Mr. Anderson was found in contempt by the Family Court for an incident where (he) had broken into a home and assaulted Mrs. Anderson,” said Hashe.
Clay Anderson was sentenced to six months in jail for violating the protection order. No charges have been filed in this case.
“Once all the facts and the evidence have been collected, the Sheriff’s Office will present the findings to the Solicitor’s Office for their legal review,” said Hashe.
