Man From South Carolina Files Lawsuit Against Police for Firing 47 Shots at Him During a Mental Health Crisis. Conservatives Silent in Police Brutality Criticism.

The above is police dash cam video of Trevor Mullinax's encounter with York County deputies in May 2021, released by Attorney Justin Bamberg. The image was provided by the York County Sheriff's Office.

A man from South Carolina, Trevor Mullinax, has filed a lawsuit against the York County Sheriff’s Office, alleging that deputies shot at him almost 50 times during a mental health crisis while he was in a parked truck holding a shotgun in his lap. Mullinax claims that even though his hands were raised, the officers opened fire on him, causing him to sustain nine gunshot wounds, including three to the head, all despite attempting to surrender

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month, accuses the four deputies of starting to shoot just a few seconds after arriving at the scene and repeatedly shouting "Hands!" The incident, which was captured on police dash cam video, lasted only five seconds but left the truck's windshield riddled with bullet holes. According to Mullinax's attorneys, the officers acted recklessly and without justification, and their conduct was akin to that of "John Wayne cowboys."

The incident has raised concerns about police conduct during mental health crises and the use of excessive force. Mullinax's lawyers have called for better training and policies for law enforcement officers to handle situations involving individuals experiencing mental health issues.

The four deputies who shot at Trevor Mullinax were not charged by prosecutors who reviewed the case. Each officer provided a statement to investigators 11 days after the incident, which occurred in May 2021, and after reviewing various footage, including body camera recordings.

According to a report by the State Law Enforcement Division on the shooting of Trevor Mullinax, the four officers who fired at Mullinax stated that they thought he was about to flee, and then saw him reach back to the truck’s rear seat, grab the shotgun, and point it at them. This happened within seconds of the officers arriving on the scene.

Mullinax’s mother, Tammy Beason, was present at the time and had been trying to comfort her son after he threatened to take his own life. Beason was standing by the driver’s-side window of the truck when the officers opened fire. She was not injured but was handcuffed by deputies less than a minute after the shooting, despite being clearly distraught and crying out for her son's well-being.

The incident occurred on May 7, 2021, after a family member called 911 to report that Mullinax was threatening to kill himself. The video of the incident begins with the deputies driving up to Mullinax’s truck, which was parked on his family’s land near Rock Hill. Mullinax reportedly told the 911 operator that he and his family were "just trying to get their buddy some help" and gave the operator their cellphone numbers.

Effectively, a man was threatening to kill himself, causing many police officers to arrive. Following this they attempted to kill him to put down a perceived threat, when in reality there wasn’t one at all. According to attorney Justin Bamberg, the deputies who arrived at the scene never attempted to call Mullinax or his mother, who had both provided their cellphone numbers during the 911 call. Instead, they drove to the location of Mullinax's parked truck after receiving information from his grandfather. During the incident, the deputies fired a total of 47 shots at Mullinax. The dash cam video shows two deputies removing Mullinax from the truck and handcuffing him after he was struck by bullets.

The above can all be seen in the dashcam video, though it should be warned that it is disturbing. In the latest in a long string of hypocrisy from conservatives, they have at large staunchly refused to condemn the police response in this situation, claiming that even though individuals such as Mullinax should have the right to do as Mullinax did in this video, that the police officers simultaneously did nothing wrong. Conservatives at large see no problem with the situation, and at large do not wish for any changed going forward.