[SauronOfMordor]

First degree murder involves premeditation. Second degree murder is done “in the heat of passion”. The officer appears to have killed the man in anger, while the guy was running away. That makes it second degree.

[DoodleDawg]

First degree murder involves premeditation. Second degree murder is done “in the heat of passion”.

South Carolina has no second degree murder. It's either murder or it isn't. There are aggravating circumstances that can affect the sentence.