Sheriff: Deputies justified in using deadly force in shooting in Greenville Co.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenville County Sheriff's Office has released a critical incident report regarding the justification of deputies using deadly force during a shooting on January 23. The incident occurred at the Greenville Inn & Suites while deputies were searching for an armed robbery suspect who had recently fled from a Shell station in Pickens County.

The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Sean Michael Scates, was connected to the robbery of the store clerk and was reported to have escaped in a dark Nissan Pathfinder. Deputies located his vehicle at a Greenville County hotel around 2:30 p.m., as Scates was known to frequent local motels.

Body camera footage captured the moment deputies surrounded Scates' car. As he attempted to flee, a deputy immobilized his vehicle by pinning it against a pole. The footage indicated that Scates then retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and attempted to run, prompting six deputies to discharge their weapons at him.

Medical assistance was rendered to Scates until emergency services arrived, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The sheriff’s office confirmed that the weapon used by Scates was collected as evidence following the incident.

In light of standard protocol, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been asked to investigate the shooting, alongside the 13th Circuit Solicitor's Office to evaluate whether the deputies' actions were legally justified. According to the critical incident report, Sheriff Hobart Lewis stated that the deputies' responses were consistent with the agency's Use of Force policy.