Florence County Deputy Fired After Fatal Shooting and K-9 Attack Incident

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Florence County, South Carolina — On the morning of May 26, 2024, following a vehicle pursuit, the suspect, 43-year-old William Dwayne Rankin, fled into a residence on National Cemetery Road after crashing his vehicle, where he was pursued by Florence County Sheriff’s Deputy, Treyvon Sellers, 29. The footage shows Sellers confronting Rankin, who was hiding under a couch cushion, and ultimately shooting him five times. Rankin, who was unarmed, later died at the hospital. The incident has led to charges against Sellers, including voluntary manslaughter, assault, and battery of a high and aggravated nature, as well as misconduct in office.

The situation further escalated when Johnny Cooper, an innocent occupant of the residence, was severely injured by Sellers' K-9. According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Sellers failed to use appropriate commands, leading to the K-9 mauling Cooper for 87 seconds, resulting in permanent injuries. Florence County Sheriff T.J. Joye requested SLED investigate the incident. Sheriff Joye placed Sellers on administrative leave following the shooting, but he then fired him after a domestic violence investigation last month in Darlington County.