Upstate resident shoots and kills intruder during burglary

CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an overnight burglary that left one person dead.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home on Deana Lane in Blacksburg shortly after 2:20 a.m. Wednesday. There, they say that 29-year-old Roger Robertson forced his way into the home and assaulted one of the residents.

“I received a call about 2:30 this morning from my mom. She was very erratic, barely speaking,” said Lee Tallent, relative of the resident.

He told 7News that it was a moment of disbelief when he was awoken out of his sleep by a call informing him that his brother had been involved in a shooting.

“Once I got it out of her, I realized there had been a shooting at my mom’s residence. After talking to her a little bit we had figured out that my little brother had fired a shot,” said Tallent. “Somebody had broke into the house, busted through the front door and started attacking my little brother with an object.”

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s office said the resident, feared for their safety, then fired a single round, striking Robertson in the chest.

“My little brother was just able, thank God, able to access his handgun and fire a point shot,” said Tallent. “It makes me feel like I wish I had been here. Me and my brother are real close. We are like night and day, but we are real close. I’ve always had his back and he’s always had my back. And so, I hate that I wasn’t here to help him.”

Robert fled the scene in a waiting vehicle that was taken to Cherokee Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 3:28 a.m., according to the Coroner’s office.

The resident was also taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries sustained during the burglary.

Now the family is left piecing together the overnight encounter, counting their blessings.

“I’ve been here with my mom for a couple of hours and she’s been pretty upset. She’s tore up about it and I know my little brother is tore up about it too,” said Tallent. “The last thing he would ever want is to take somebody’s life.”

Investigators have determined that Robertson was known by the victim prior to the burglary.