By admin 
A man wanted on murder charges was killed after leading deputies on a high-speed chase, according to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.
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Ja-Sean Fritz, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene Thursday after firing at three deputies he’d led on a high-speed chase that started from the Eastover area and ended on Leesburg Road, Lott said during a news conference Friday.
At around 1 p.m. Thursday deputies attempted to stop a vehicle bearing a suspended license plate, according to Lott. The car failed to stop and led deputies on a high-speed chase before wrecking in a rural and wooded area, Lott said.
Fritz — wanted in a July 30 homicide in Orangeburg — was one of three passengers, besides the driver, who fled the wreck. In the pouring rain, in a densely wooded area, deputies began a K-9 tracking search, Lott said.
Around three hours later, Fritz was spotted and fired at least 10 rounds at Deputies Chris Blanding, Cody Sox and David Pitts, according to Lott.
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Deputies returned fire, killing Fritz, Lott said.
“Why would you do anything this extreme?” Lott said Friday. “Now we know why … he was wanted for murder. He’d already killed before and would do anything to escape.”
Deputies later located the three other people from the car including, Tre’Shawn Zeigler, 19, Ka’Shaun Geathers, 19 and Nathaniel Burkett, 19.
Inside the car, deputies found a Glock handgun with a switch — making it fully automatic — and an assault rifle. The Glock, Lott said, was used by Fritz in the Orangeburg slaying.
Zeigler was charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Geathers was charged with failure to stop for blue lights, unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Burkett was charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
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