Fatal Dollar General shooting in York County was self defense: sheriff, prosecutor
No criminal charges will be filed in a fatal South Carolina shooting outside a rural Dollar General Store because the shooter acted in self-defense, the York County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutors said Wednesday.
The shooting happened the afternoon of July 10 in Sharon, a small town west of York. Joseph Lewis, 69, of Sharon, was shot once and died two days later at a hospital in Rock Hill, according to the coroner.
Lewis was carrying a gun at the time of the incident, said prosecutor Chris Epting, 16th Circuit Assistant Deputy Solicitor.
After deputies met with prosecutors about the case, officials decided the shooting was in self-defense under South Carolina’s Protection of Persons and Property law, the sheriff statement said. The law is commonly known as the state’s ‘stand your ground’ law.
The law enforcement investigation showed Lewis “aggressively” approached the other man’s vehicle, threatened him through the window and punched him, according to a written statement from the sheriff’s office also released on their official social media pages.
The driver shot Lewis, according to the sheriff.
“The male driver, who was struck by the punch, then responded to the perceived threat by discharging his firearm, which he was lawfully carrying,” the sheriff statement said.
Prosecutors agreed not to file charges
The man who shot Lewis has not been identified. The state’s Protection of Persons and Property Act says a person has the same right to defend himself in a car as in a home, Epting said.
“Based on the evidence presented, the deceased was armed with a pistol and assaulted the driver inside the car,” Epting told The Herald on Wednesday. “The solicitor’s office reviewed the evidence and agree no charges should be filed.”
