BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. – A Beaufort County deputy has been suspended without pay following a disturbing incident involving several minors, which was partially captured on video.
The videos, which have since circulated on social media, appear to show the off-duty deputy in plain clothes, wearing only a bulletproof vest marked “sheriff” and holding a drawn firearm pointed toward a group of minors. The situation escalates as the minors can be heard pleading for help, some calling for their parents and others for the police—prompting the deputy to respond, “I am the police.”
Witnesses say the deputy confiscated a bag from one of the teens, leading to a physical confrontation in which a minor pushed the deputy. The deputy then drew his weapon again, pointing it directly at the group. The teens are heard yelling, “No, no! Stop! Do not shoot!” in what appears to be a desperate attempt to de-escalate the situation.
One video shows the older brother of one of the minors arriving at the scene after receiving a distress call from his sibling. Bystanders can be heard alleging that the deputy acted because someone was “flashing a gun,” though others insist the group was unarmed and non-threatening. No weapon was confirmed to have been recovered from the scene, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Parents of the minors involved have retained legal representation and are reportedly pursuing charges. They allege that the deputy was intoxicated at the time of the incident and was not breathalyzed by responding officers. They also claim to possess additional video evidence showing no provocation for the deputy’s use of force.
The deputy has been relieved of his duties, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been called in to conduct an independent investigation into any potential criminal wrongdoing.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has not released the name of the deputy or provided further comment at this time.
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