Who was Matthew Edward Healey? Police fatally shoot armed South Carolina dentist outside a strip club 

Matthew Edward Healey, a dentist from South Carolina, was fatally gunned down outside a Greenville City strip club on Friday, September 15. According to Fox, the encounter occurred after 57-year-old Healey fired multiple firearms outside of the Trophy Club. Officials have not confirmed the dentist's alleged motive for discharging the firearms.

Trigger warning: This article concerns gun violence, the reader's discretion is advised

Due to the fact that Matthew Edward Healey was a respected dentist in the area, the allegations against him have left many Greenville residents baffled. According to his official website, Healey Family Dental, he had been working as a dentist in the area for over three decades.

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Matthew Edward Healey's dental license was suspended in January 2023

According to LinkedIn, Matthew Edward Healey studied dentistry at the Medical University of South Carolina. In 2014, after 22 years of practicing dentistry, he started Healey Family Dental.

Over time, he also served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Greenville Free Medical Clinic. His business website indicates that he was a devout Christian and avid fisherman.

According to The State, despite his respectable reputation, Matthew Edward Healey also had various personal issues. In December 2022, he was charged with possessing a controlled substance and narcotics. In January 2023, his dental license was suspended following the allegations.

At 12:40 a.m. on Friday, Matthew Edward Healey was reportedly patronizing the Trophy Club. Soon after midnight, authorities received reports that the disgraced dentist had discharged multiple firearms in the parking lot of the strip club.

Authorities promptly responded to the scene, sparking an encounter in which Healey was critically shot. After he sustained serious injuries, he was transported to a local hospital, where he was declared dead. According to the News Observer, the dentist's corpse showed signs of at least one gunshot wound.

In an official statement, a spokesperson for the Greenville Police Department discussed the slaying.

"The incident in Greenville County was the 27th officer involved shooting in South Carolina in 2023. This is the 1st officer involved shooting for the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office this year. This is the 1st officer involved shooting for the Greenville Police Department this year," the statement read.

"In 2022, there were 32 officer involved shootings in South Carolina. The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office had 1 officer involved shooting last year. The Greenville Police Department had (its) 1st officer involved shooting last year," the statement continued.

As of September 16, the death of Matthew Edward Healey currently remains under investigation. As is the procedure with any police shooting, officials are currently in the process of carrying out an internal review.

Since the probe is in its early stages, investigators have not yet confirmed whether Healey had a target or if he fired shots at any of the responding officers.