Deputy justified after shooting armed man during standoff, prosecutor says

YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Prosecutors will not file charges against a York County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a Clover man armed with a rifle in March, our partners at The Herald reported on Tuesday.

Kevin Brackett, 16th Circuit Solicitor, said in a letter to SLED, that Charlie Baker pointed a rifle at deputies who approached his truck during a standoff on March 3 near Highway 321.

“The use of force by Deputy (Berlin) Gipson was both necessary and appropriate given the level of threat posed by Mr. Baker to the other officers on the scene,” Brackett said in the letter. “He was lawfully acting in defense of others, and the shooting was justified.”

©2024 Cox Media Group