AIKEN, S.C. -- A response to a call about a suspicious car turned deadly for one Aiken law enforcement officer Saturday morning.

A resident contacted the Aiken Department of Public Safety in reference to a suspicious vehicle at Eustis Park around 7:30 a.m.

Master Cpl. Sandy Rogers arrived on scene, an altercation ensued and she was shot.

She was then was transported to Aiken Regional Medical Centers, where she died from her injuries.

Not a lot of details are known about the incident at this time, but what is known is that Rogers was a dedicated law enforcement officer who spent 27 years fighting crime in Aiken.

An Aiken native, she joined the Aiken Department of Public Safety in 1984.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety released this statement:
"It is with profound sadness I must report to the Citizens of Aiken, another officer has been murdered in the line of duty in Aiken this morning. Master Corporal Sandra E. Rogers, 49 of Aiken, was gunned down responding to a call from a concerned citizen of suspicious activity at Eustis Park just after 7:30 a.m.

Rogers has been employed by the City of Aiken since 1984.

Master Cpl. Rogers was an invaluable street cop who exemplified the model of a Public Safety Officer. Master Cpl. Rogers was a highly skilled investigator and senior patrol officer on her shift.

Please keep the Rogers family and Aiken Public Safety in your prayers as once again we deal with this tragic loss.

We received assistance from Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, North Augusta Public Safety, South Carolina Highway Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, Aiken County Solicitors Office, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office.

The State Law Enforcement Division has taken over the investigation into the shooting incident as standard protocol with an officer involved shooting.

Please note that all information related to the criminal investigation, any suspects, arrests, or criminal charges related to the death of Master Cpl. Rogers should be referred to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division."

Information on Master Cpl. Sandy Rogers (from the Aiken DPS):
-She was born in Aiken in 1963.
-She has had a 27-year career in law enforcement, beginning in 1984.
-She earned an associate's degree in business management from Aiken Technical College in 1983.
-Field Training Officer, Speed Measuring Device Instructor
-Field Training Officer, Speed Measuring Device Instructor
-Distinguished Service Award: 2003
-Lifesaving award: 2003
-Certificate of Commendation: 2011

Letter From Chief Deputy Dwayne Courtney

My heart is heavy for the families of Scotty Richardson and Sandy Rogers. I ache as well for the surviving officers and employees of the Aiken Department of Public Safety, many of whom I know on a very personal level. They serve with honor, bravery and distinction. My prayer for you is that there will be a brighter tomorrow filled with hope, healing and a renewed dedication to the service of this community.

While Scotty and Sandy are gone, they shall never be forgotten by the families, fellow officers, deputies and all the men and women who serve in this profession. While we are a family of many, yet we are one. We will cry together, laugh together and heal together. We should all honor them for how they lived as well as how they died, for they served well. They gave aid to those who were helpless, lifted those who had fallen and gave comfort to many who were afraid.

I hope that we all learn from these tragic events and that the citizens of Aiken will humbly give thanks and honor to those fallen officers who gave their lives defending this community's way of life.

A simple "thank you" from you, the citizen, goes a very long way to lift the spirit of that officer who has just endured a tragic loss or witnessed a senseless act. I urge everyone, from this day forward, to thank your law enforcement and public safety professionals every time you see one -- for you never know when you may need their care."

Full Video of Funeral:

Video From News Conference:

Who Sandy Leaves Behind:

She was a lifelong Aiken resident and a member of St. John's United Methodist Church. Master Cpl. Rogers started working with the City of Aiken Public Safety in 1984 and was a Field Training Officer and Speed Measuring Device Instructor. She was a member of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association and a member of the South Carolina Firemen's Association.

She received the Distinguished Service Award in 2003, the Lifesaving Award in 2003, and the Certificate of Commendation in 2011.

She helped start the Book Bag Program for Helping Hands and was a mentor to a lot of troubled individuals. Sandy loved her family and her job.

Survivors, beside her father, include her life partner Frances A. Williams; sister Virginia R. (Wade) Johnson of Aiken; two brothers, Jack (Mary) Rogers Jr. Charlotte, N.C., James (Mariruth) H. Rogers, Aiken; nieces Elizabeth Ann (Joey) Lott and Kate Rogers; nephews, William (Erin) Johnson Jr., Steven (Kim) Rogers, Michael James Rogers; a great niece, Carleigh Elizabeth Johnson and a great nephew John Rogers; aunt Martha Blanco, North Augusta; uncle Don (Billie) Sprawls, Aiken; and other aunts and uncles across the country."

Remembering Our Area's Fallen Officers

The greater Augusta/Aiken community is no stranger to the loss of law enforcement officers, especially in recent months. Rogers' death is the third in the area since October.

Deputy James D. Paugh:
Deputy J.D. Paugh stopped to check on a car that was pulled over on Bobby Jones Expressway during the early morning hours of Oct. 23. That is when police say 26-year-old Christopher Michael Hodges, a soldier stationed at Fort Gordon, opened fire. Autopsy results revealed Paugh was shot nine times by the suspect. One of the bullets struck Paugh's weapon, disabling it from functioning.

Aiken Officer Scott Richardson:
Master Public Safety Officer Scott Richardson, 33, died after being shot in the head by a suspect on Brandt Court the night of Dec. 20. Richardson and 28-year-old Officer Travis Griffin were trying to make a traffic stop when the gunman opened fired, shooting both officers.