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by ERIN PARROTT
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The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred last Friday (January 30, 2026) in York County.
According to SLED, deputies with the York County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) responded to a call for service at a residence on Pine Ridge Court in Fort Mill, S.C. at approximately 9:20 a.m. EST. The initial report referenced an unconscious individual who was purportedly “not breathing” – but that’s not what deputies encountered upon their arrival at the residence.
Instead, deputies found a man barricaded in a room inside a home – armed with a knife, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
“The person barricaded themselves in a room with a knife,” the release noted. “The deputy ordered the person to put the knife down and exit the room. The person opened the door, refused to put down the knife, and charged at the deputy. The deputy fired his weapon, killing the suspect.”
The man was pronounced dead at the scene and later identified by the York County coroner’s office as 22-year-old Allan Josue Topete-Guevara. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
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In keeping with standard protocol in the vast majority of local law enforcement jurisdictions in the Palmetto State, SLED was requested to investigate the shooting by YCSO.
Per the statewide agency, its goal is to conduct a thorough, independent criminal investigation in as timely a manner as is possible under the circumstances – interviewing all potential witnesses, collecting relevant evidence and forensically testing such evidence as needed. Information gathered during the course of the investigation will be summarized in a case file report submitted to prosecutors.
Also, per YCSO policy, the deputy involved in the incident has been placed on paid administrative leave as the matter is reviewed.
According to a release from the statewide agency, SLED announced that this is an ongoing investigation and that no additional information will be released at this time.
The shooting marks the fifth officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2026, and the first involving YCSO this year. In 2025, there were 45 officer-involved shootings statewide, with York County recording one such incident.
FITSNews will continue to follow this case and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.
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