GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. – An internal investigation has determined six Greenville County deputies were acting in accordance with internal policies when they shot and killed a suspect outside a Greenville County motel earlier this year.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office shared on Sunday a community briefing regarding a January 23, 2025 shooting outside of Greenville Inn and Suites on South Pleasantburg Drive.

According to the sheriff’s office, on January 23 the sheriff’s office was notified by Pickens County officials of an armed robbery on S.C. Highway 153 in Pickens County.

In a separate video shared by the sheriff’s office a person the sheriff’s office said it believes to be 45-year-old Sean Michael Scates, is seen holding a gun and demanding a store clerk open a cash register and give him the money inside. The suspect then reportedly left in a Nissan SUV with a paper tag.

Acting on information Scates was believed to frequent motels on the south end of Greenville County, deputies encountered Scates at Greenville Inn and Suites. Scates was sitting in an SUV matching the description of the one used in the armed robbery.

Body camera footage shows deputies attempted to box the SUV in a parking space outside of the hotel when the SUV attempts to drive forward, and a sheriff’s office vehicle is used to pin the SUV in the parking space.

While the SUV is attempting to drive away, deputies can be heard shouting for Scates to “stop reaching” for something, and demanding he exit the SUV with his hands up.

According to the footage released by the sheriff’s office, Scates did get out of the SUV while holding a pistol and attempted to run away.

“Having knowledge that Scates had just committed an armed robbery and thus exhibited a propensity to put others lives in danger, six of the deputies fired at and struck him,” said Lt. Ryan Flood, public information officer for Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, in the community briefing.

Scates was transported to the hospital for treatment but later died from his injuries.

The sheriff’s office said it’s internal investigation determined the deputies use of force was justified under the current sheriff’s office policies.

The state law enforcement division was called to investigate the shooting, and their investigation, along with the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, will determine if any of the deputies involved should face criminal charges in connection with the shooting. Those investigations remain ongoing.