LANDRUM – A former Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputy was cleared recently in the fatal shooting of Landrum resident Alexis George Mishtowt.

Mishtowt, 63, of 325 Bird Mountain Road, Landrum, died of multiple gunshot wounds on July 1, 2016 after he was shot by deputy James Shehan.

Shehan now works for the Landrum Police Department with Spartanburg County Chuck Wright clarifying Shehan made arrangements to work as a school resource officer for Landrum prior to the shooting last year.

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) stated that the S.C. Attorney General’s Office reviewed the case and found no criminal wrongdoing by Shehan.

Shehan responded to Mishtowt’s home after an investigator had been there for a drug investigation. According to reports, Mishtowt and another man approached the investigator’s unmarked vehicle and began yelling and after the investigator stated he was with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Mishtowt went inside his home.

Deputies arrived and surrounded the house, according to reports, and Mishtowt refused to come outside. When a deputy went to the door, Mishtowt backed into the living room and raised an AR-15 rifle, according to the reports.

Shehan shot Mishtowt when he raised the rifle and an assistant attorney general said in a letter to SLED that Shehan used lawful and appropriate deadly force given the circumstances.

Shehan said in a statement he saw Mishtowt raise the gun toward another deputy.

Mishtowt was shot five times, according to reports. Following toxicology testing, Mishtowt was found to have alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and oxycodone in his system at the time of the shooting.

Investigators found firearms and a small amount of cocaine in his home, according to reports.