YORK COUNTY, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – The York County Sheriff’s Office talked late Wednesday afternoon after a lawsuit was announced against his department following a May 2021 shooting involving some of his deputies.
As CN2 News reported in Tuesday’s newscast when the family shared its story, two years ago, York County Deputies were conducting a wellbeing check on Trevor Mullinax who was suicidal and armed with a knife.
Deputies were told during route by dispatch Mullinax had active arrest warrants from the York Police Department for 1st Degree Burglary and Malicious Injury to Personal Property.
When deputies arrived they yelled to Mullinax to show his hands, seconds later shots ring out. Tammy Beason, Trevor’s mom was outside of his truck with the driver’s door closed.
Deputies saw Mullinax with a firearm in his hand and all four deputies then fired, hitting Mullinax several times. He did survive but attorney’s say he is still recovering from his injuries.
Mullinax’s legal team claims he did not point a gun, but was instead having a mental health emergency.
SLED did have an independent investigation and all four deputies were cleared of any wrongdoing.
SLED did charge Mullinax with Pointing and Presenting a Firearm.
Sheriff Kevin Tolson held a press conference on Wednesday at the Sheriff’s office.
At the media briefing, Tolson only made a statement and did not take questions from reporters.
In documents released by the York County Sheriff’s Office it states during an interview with SLED, Tammy Beason, Mullinax’s mother told SLED she was worried about her son when she say saw he had a knife open, in his hand so she tried to reason with him and offered to drive him to the hospital. Beason goes on to say, “Mullinax pulled a gun from the back floorboard, adding he wasn’t gonna fire it, that’s not even what he wanted, I think he wanted them to kill him.”
Mullinax’s legal team say Mullinax alleges gross negligence, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution, among numerous other charges.
