Intoxicated Deputy Loses Badge After Terrifying Black Youths During Patrol

An off-duty sheriff's deputy from South Carolina faces a federal lawsuit after his alarming, drunken encounter with three teenage boys in his neighborhood. William “Billy” Squires, a former Beaufort County Sheriff’s Master Sergeant, was terminated for brandishing a firearm and threatening the teens, yet he has not been arrested. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating Squires, a process that might delay accountability.Filed by Laquesha Habersham, the suit highlights the oversight of Squires and includes several neighbors who aided him. The lawsuit asserts that one teen, distinguished as “T.P.,” posed no threat, nor was he armed. Disturbingly, Squires allegedly refused a breathalyzer test after the incident, leading to his suspension and eventual dismissal after 19 years in service. As Sheriff P.J. Tanner noted, the video of the incident is “appalling,” bringing to light serious misconduct and potential danger posed by those sworn to protect.