Alex Murdaugh releases statement after he was shot Saturday in Hampton Co.

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Alex Murdaugh, the father of Paul Murdaugh and the husband of Margaret Murdaugh who were found shot to death at the family’s home in Colleton County in early June, has released a statement after he was shot Saturday in Hampton County, S.C.

The statement from Alex Murdaugh reads, “The murders of my wife and son have caused an incredibly difficult time in my life. I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I’m resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders. I am immensely sorry to everyone I’ve hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships.”

In a statement, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said the Hampton County Central Dispatch received a 911 call from Alex Murdaugh around 1:34 p.m. on Saturday. Murdaugh told the dispatcher that “he had been shot on Old Salkehatchie Road near Varnville, South Carolina in Hampton County.”

Murdaugh’s attorney Jim Griffin says he received a call around 2:15 p.m. from Murdaugh’s brother, who said Alex Murdaugh had been shot while he was changing a tire on the side of Old Salkehatchie Road. Murdaugh’s brother also told Griffin that Alex Murdaugh saw a truck drive by and then turn around before he was shot in the head. SLED describes the injury as “a superficial gunshot wound to the head” in the statement.

The Hampton County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene, and SLED says Murdaugh was transported to a hospital in Savannah.

The Murdaugh family released the following statement to WTOC on Saturday: “The Murdaugh family has suffered through more than any one family could ever imagine. We expect Alex to recover and ask for your privacy while he recovers.”

Prior to his death in June, Paul Murdaugh was charged in the death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach after he crashed his father’s boat into a bridge near Parris Island in February 2019. Those charges were dropped last month.

Members of the Murdaugh family served in the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office for about 87 years, which covers Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties in South Carolina. Last week, 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone recused himself from prosecuting any cases related to the shooting deaths of Paul and Margaret Murdaugh.

You can find an interactive timeline of the case below: