Charges stem from June 9 incident at Colleton County polling place
By Mike McCombs and Delayna Earley
The Island News
Rep. Michael Rivers (D-121) was charged with Pointing and Presenting a Firearm at a Person on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
In a story first reported by The Island News on June 10, 2026, Shannon N. DeLoach, who defeated the incumbent Rivers of St. Helena Island in the June 9 Democratic primary to be the party’s candidate for the House District 121 seat, claimed that Rivers pointed a handgun at DeLoach’s uncle, Oliver Francis, during an encounter outside the Green Pond Community Center.
The incident allegedly occurred Tuesday, June 9, at the polling place on Ivenia Brown Road in Green Pond while voters were casting ballots. At the time, SLED opened an investigation into the incident, according to Public Information Officer Renée Wunderlich. That investigation resulted in Rivers being charged.
According to the arrest warrant, issued Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, by Colleton County Magistrate Roosevelt LaShon Jenkins, “On June 9, 2026, Michael Frank Rivers, the current S.C. House District 121 Representative, while at the Green Pond Community Center located at 371 Ivenia Brown Road in Colleton County, did commit the offense of pointing and presenting a firearm at the victim, [redacted]. Rivers and the victim had a brief verbal altercation over the political campaign for the S.C. House of Representatives District 121 seat. The verbal altercation led to Rivers obtaining a firearm from his vehicle compartment and point it at the victim. The Affiant’s belief is based upon multiple statements and video evidence. This being in violation of the South Carolina Code of Laws 16-23-0410.”
The case will be prosecuted by the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Rivers, booked into the Colleton County Detention Center, was released on Friday on a $15,000 recognizance bond.
The alleged incident
According to DeLoach in June, both he and Rivers were present at the polling location Tuesday afternoon, June 9, greeting voters when the encounter occurred.
DeLoach said he approached Rivers and attempted to have a cordial conversation despite tensions that had developed during the campaign.
“I shook his hand and pat him on the back,” DeLoach told The Island News. “Just wanted to let him know, however things go, I’ll give you a call tonight.”
DeLoach said Rivers responded by asking, “When it’s all said and done, how much you going to sell my signs back to me for?”
“I said, ‘Sir, what are you talking about?'” DeLoach said. “I said, ‘Why can’t we just have a cordial conversation with one another?'”
DeLoach said Rivers dismissed the conversation.
“So I said, ‘You know what, sir? You’re good. Have a good day. I can see you can’t be cordial with me,'” DeLoach said.
According to DeLoach, Rivers then got back into his vehicle.
Francis, who had been sitting in DeLoach’s truck during the exchange, then got out and approached Rivers’ vehicle.
“I said leave my nephew alone. Stop lying on my nephew,” Francis told The Island News.
According to DeLoach, Rivers stopped near the exit of the parking lot before allegedly retrieving a handgun.
“As he was rolling near the end of the driveway, he stopped,” DeLoach said. “That’s when he reached down. He pulled up the pistol. He leaned over to my uncle, pointed it, and then put it in the air.”
DeLoach said Rivers then drove away from the polling place.
Francis provided a similar account.
“And he reached down and pulled out the gun and turned and pointed at me, and he put it up in the air and he pulled off,” Francis said.
The incident occurred just hours before the conclusion of the Democratic primary election in which DeLoach defeated Rivers. He is facing Republican Shelley Gay Yuhas in the Nov. 3 general election.
Previous investigation
This incident is not the first time Rivers has faced allegations involving a firearm.
Records obtained by The Island News show that the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office investigated Rivers in 2022 following allegations that he pointed a firearm during a dispute on St. Helena Island. The incident report identified Rivers as the suspect in an aggravated assault investigation and states the matter was referred to SLED because Rivers was serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives at the time.
As of July, the investigation was active, more than four years after the alleged incident, according to a response to a Freedom of Information Act request obtained by The Island News.
The response, dated June 25, came after The Island News requested records related to the 2022 investigation, including the complete investigative file and any records reflecting the disposition of the matter.
In denying the request, SLED Deputy General Counsel Paul Ahearn said the agency could not provide records documenting the outcome of the case because no such records currently exist.
“Be advised that SLED does not possess a ‘complete investigative file and any records reflecting the disposition of the matter’ at this time since this case remains active and ongoing,” Ahearn wrote. “Therefore, SLED cannot produce something that does not yet exist and your request is denied.”
Ahearn added that The Island News may check with the agency periodically regarding the status of the investigation and that SLED will provide responsive, non-exempt public records “at the appropriate time.”
The investigation stems from a Sept. 14, 2022, incident on Seaside Road on St. Helena Island, where the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office responded to what deputies described as a disturbance involving a property dispute. According to the incident report, Clifford Huff and Sandra Mack-Huff told deputies Rivers became angry during an argument over land ownership, retrieved a handgun from his vehicle, cocked it and pointed it at Huff. Both told deputies they wished to pursue criminal charges.
Deputies classified the case as aggravated assault and identified Rivers as the suspect before transferring the investigation to SLED because Rivers was serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. The report also shows investigators conducted follow-up interviews, attempted to contact Rivers by telephone, preserved phone records related to the investigation and ultimately referred the case to SLED for further investigation.
Although Ahearn’s response did not explain why the investigation remained open, it confirms no final disposition has been reached.
The Island News will update this story as more information becomes available.
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.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.