Off-Duty Cop Fired for Holding Teens at Gunpoint, Lawsuit Filed

Incident Overview

• 🚨 An off-duty Beaufort County Sheriff's Master Sergeant, William “Billy” Squires, was fired after footage showed him threatening teenagers with a handgun.
• 🎯 The incident occurred on September 28th on Hilton Head Island, where Squires, allegedly intoxicated, approached a group of three teenage boys walking in a residential neighborhood.
• ⚠️ Squires, while off-duty, used his sheriff's office-issued vehicle, armed himself with his duty weapon, and donned his Kevlar vest before confronting the juveniles.

Actions and Allegations

• 🔫 Squires pointed his gun at the teens, threatening to kill them, despite no evidence that they possessed a weapon or were engaged in any criminal activity.
• 🗣️ The teens repeatedly stated they did not have a gun, and one was heard pleading for someone to call the police, to which Squires responded, "I am the police."
• 🤥 Upon arrival of other deputies, Squires allegedly provided a false account of the events, claiming the teens had a gun and ran from him.

Investigation and Legal Action

• ⚖️ Squires was suspended without pay, relieved of his credentials, and later terminated on October 3rd, ending a 19-year career.
• 🔍 The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating Squires to determine if he committed a crime, but he has yet to be arrested.
• 🧑‍⚖️ A lawsuit has been filed in federal court by Laquisha Havsham, the mother of one of the teens, alleging false imprisonment and excessive force.

Community and Systemic Concerns

• 🚫 Neighbors who assisted Squires in detaining the teens are also listed as defendants in the lawsuit.
• 🍻 Squires refused to take a breathalyzer test when asked by Sheriff PJ Tanner, though he later admitted to drinking that day.
• 📉 The incident raises concerns about the standards for law enforcement officers, both on and off duty, and the potential for corruption and abuse of power within the system.