Teen charged as adult after robbery attempt in York SC leads to SWAT chase, cops say
A teenager faces charges in a case of armed robbery near downtown York, S.C., that led to a search by SWAT, K-9, and police officers, officials said.
Daiyan Heard, 17, was captured after York officers tracked him following an incident at a beauty supply business, said Andy Robinson, York Police Department chief.
Heard was charged Thursday afternoon as an adult with armed robbery, Robinson said.
Armed robbery carries up to 30 years in prison under South Carolina law.
Congress Street, the main north/south highway south of downtown York, was blocked for more than two hours as York County SWAT and officers searched for a suspect, Robinson said.
The beauty supply business shares a building with a barber shop and another business, officials said. The incident was near California Street and Galilean Road. The incident ended around 11 a.m. without injuries, Robinson said.
“This was great police work by our officers and law enforcement from around York County,” Robinson said. “Our officers were on scene in less than 60 seconds. We are appreciative of all the other agencies that assisted. The safety of the public is our first priority.”
The county SWAT team is a multi-agency unit that has officers from several York County police departments.
After the incident speaking on behalf of York police, York County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Trent Faris said a suspect went into the beauty store around 9 a.m. The victim, who did not speak English, locked the suspect in the business and ran to a nearby business where others called 911, Faris said.
The suspect used a gun to either shoot out a window or break the window after being locked in the store, then fled on foot, Faris said.
York police called SWAT to assist and check the interior of the building, Faris said. Rock Hill police used a bomb squad robot to look inside the building, Faris said. Deputies also used a drone to search the area from the sky, Faris said.
A K-9 team of dogs and police officers tracked the suspect to nearby apartments, then followed the track to a home, Faris said. At the house, a suspect was taken into custody.
The suspect later confessed to the crime after being taken to the York Police Department, Faris said.
During the two-hour search, bystanders gathered near the crime scene as the area became choked with onlookers. The area is just south of the York County government center and York County Courthouse.
The York Police Department issued a social media statement on Facebook during the incident asking drivers to avoid the area.
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 10:13 AM.
