York County deputy shot, killed Rock Hill man wanted for kidnap, domestic violence: SLED

Herald - 4/22/2024

Apr. 22—York County SC

A Rock Hill man killed by the York County SWAT team Sunday was armed with a baseball before being shot by deputies trying to arrest him for kidnapping and domestic violence, South Carolina law enforcement officials said.

Richard Zonjic, 52, died at Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill after the shooting Sunday morning on Ellis Pond Drive, according to Sabrina Gast, York County coroner. The fatal shooting of a person by a York County deputy on the SWAT team is the second since March. It occurred outside the Rock Hill city limits in a residential neighborhood southwest of Dave Lyle Boulevard and Interstate 77.

The sheriff's office identified the SWAT team deputy who shot Zonjic with a rifle as Daniel Barfield, a senior deputy. Barfield has been a deputy for a year after six earlier years with another law enforcement agency, officials said.

Barfield has been placed on paid administrative leave as the State Law Enforcement Division investigates, York County Sheriff's Office spokesman Trent Faris said Monday.

Sheriff Kevin Tolson and SLED released more information Monday afternoon that law enforcement said lead to the fatal shooting.

Deputies went to the Ellis Pond Drive home because a bystander called 911 after observing an assault and possible kidnapping, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said in a statement Monday afternoon. Officers were trying to serve Zonjic arrest warrants for domestic violence and kidnapping when the man barricaded himself inside the house, according to the sheriff office and SLED.

Deputies spent hours requesting Zonjic peacefully surrender, the sheriff said.

"After failing to comply with commands, Zonjic engaged with two deputies and was shot," the sheriff's office said.

What happens after police shootings?

SLED investigates police shootings when requested by local law enforcement. York County prosecutors at the 16th Circuit Solicitor's Office usually decide if the use of force was justified or violated any criminal laws.

16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett said Monday he knew of the Sunday police shooting.

"I have received a briefing from SLED with regards to the incident on Ellis Pond Drive and am working to assist SLED in any manner they need to conduct their investigation," Brackett said in a statement to The Herald.

SLED will submit its findings to the prosecutors after the investigation is complete. Reviews can take weeks or months, and often include body camera footage, dash cam footage, police statements, and other evidence. In some cases, state prosecutors from the S.C. Attorney General's Office review police shootings instead of local prosecutors.

On March 3, a Clover man was killed by a deputy on SWAT after barricading himself in a car near York, SLED said after the March shooting. That case remains under investigation by SLED, York County prosecutors said Monday.

In November, Rock Hill Police Department officers shot a bank robbery suspect in the hand after he allegedly pointed a gun at police who were trying to take him into custody. The use of force by Rock Hill officers in that November non-fatal shooting was justified, prosecutors said.

The York County police shooting Sunday was the 13th in South Carolina in 2024, according to SLED statistics.

Check back for updates on this story.

This story was originally published April 22, 2024, 1:11 PM.

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