YORK COUNTY, S.C. — A deputy will not face charges for shooting and killing an armed man after a police chase in March.
Kevin Brackett, the 16th Circuit Solicitor, issued his review of the shooting last week. The prosecutor found that York County deputy Berlin Gipson was justified in using force to shoot Charlie Baker.
Baker, 62, was killed on March 3 after driving off from a traffic stop. Investigators say Baker was holding a rifle when officers approached him after a police chase, prompting a gunshot from Gipson.
Deputies were attempting to stop Baker for a trespass notice at a business where he was accused of selling alcohol from the back of his truck. He initially stopped for a traffic stop but declined to get out of his truck.
A two-hour negotiation period ensued during which Baker threatened his own life and the officers' lives, according to Brackett's review.
Baker then drove off from the area. Stop sticks were used to end the chase.
Tear gas was thrown into Baker's truck. Baker pointed his rifle at officers as they approached him. Gipson then fired a single shot that killed Baker.
"The use of force by Deputy Gipson was both necessary and appropriate given the level of threat posed by Mr. Baker to other officers on the scene," Brackett wrote.
The York County Sheriff's Office has not commented on Brackett's decision.
Another York County deputy shooting from 2024 remains under review. Richard Zonjic, 52, was killed during "a domestic violence incident" in April.