Beaufort Police say firearm was discharged during incident; woman faces first-degree domestic violence, weapons charges
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
A rookie Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been suspended and is the subject of an internal investigation following his arrest in connection with a domestic violence incident at The Preserve at Hanover Park in Beaufort on Friday, Oct. 2, Sheriff P.J. Tanner confirmed to The Island News.
Evan Lee Sigelnski, 23, was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center shortly after 8 p.m., Oct. 2 and charged with third-degree domestic violence, according to jail records.
Kierstin Margaret Griffith, 22, was booked approximately two hours later and charged with first-degree domestic violence and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Both were arrested by the Beaufort Police Department.
Beaufort Police Master Sgt. Sean Flomer confirmed in an email to The Island News that both parties were charged with domestic violence offenses and that a firearm was discharged during the incident.
Flomer also confirmed that someone was transported for medical treatment but did not identify that person, describe the injuries or say who discharged the firearm.
Griffith’s additional charge of possession of a weapon during a violent crime indicates investigators allege she possessed a weapon in connection with the alleged violent crime. A source familiar with the incident told The Island News that Griffith was the person who discharged the firearm and that she also sustained a nonfatal gunshot wound during the incident.
The Island News has not independently confirmed the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including how or if Griffith was wounded.
Asked whether Sigelnski was employed by, affiliated with or training with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Flomer said only that those involved were “affiliated with law enforcement.”
Tanner subsequently confirmed that Sigelnski is a rookie deputy with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
“The BCSO rookie deputy that was arrested by the City of Beaufort Police Department has been suspended,” Tanner said, adding that Sigelnski is currently undergoing an Office of Professional Responsibility internal affairs investigation.
Tanner declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding the incident itself, saying Beaufort Police is responsible for the criminal investigation.
“It would not be appropriate for me to respond to any questions you may have that the city police department was involved in,” Tanner said. “I would recommend that you speak with the city police department for any and all information associated with that call for service.”
Flomer confirmed Beaufort Police is the lead investigative agency. He also answered “no” when asked whether the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division had been requested to investigate or was investigating any portion of the incident.
Court records filed Oct. 5 show three criminal cases stemming from the incident.
Sigelnski is charged with third-degree domestic violence and received a $5,237.50 personal recognizance bond.
Griffith faces separate charges of first-degree domestic violence and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. She received a $25,000 personal recognizance bond on the domestic violence charge and a $10,000 personal recognizance bond on the weapons charge, according to court records.
Both posted bond Oct. 3.
The cases remain pending in Beaufort County General Sessions Court.
Beaufort County Detention Center records show Sigelnski was booked at 8:07 p.m. Oct. 2 and Griffith was booked at 10:05 p.m. Court records list Oct. 3 as the arrest date for both.
The exact circumstances that led to the domestic violence charges and the discharge of the firearm remain unclear. Beaufort Police has not publicly identified who allegedly fired the weapon, who was transported for medical treatment or provided additional details about what occurred before the arrests.
The Island News requested a copy of the incident report from Beaufort Police. Flomer directed the newspaper to submit a Freedom of Information Act request through the Beaufort Police Department.
As of Tuesday, The Island News had not received the incident report detailing the circumstances that led to the arrests.
The Sheriff’s Office internal investigation into Sigelnski is separate from the criminal investigation being conducted by Beaufort Police.
The charges against Sigelnski and Griffith remain pending, and neither has been convicted in connection with the incident.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.