SC state lawmaker charged with pointing gun at polling place

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - A South Carolina state lawmaker was jailed on a weapons charge.

The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office said the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division arrested state Rep. Michael Rivers on Friday. Public court records show Rivers is charged with pointing and presenting a firearm.

Rivers, a Democrat representing Beaufort and Colleton counties, was under SLED investigation for an alleged incident involving a gun at a polling place during the June 9 primary election.

Warrants later released by SLED state Rivers allegedly pointed a gun at a victim after “a brief verbal altercation over the political campaign” for his seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

It’s also alleged that the altercation led to Rivers getting the gun out of his car and pointing it at the victim.

Rivers lost the primary to challenger Shannon DeLoach.

His profile on the South Carolina State House website also identifies him as a minister and a veteran of the United States Air Force.

Rivers was booked at the Colleton County Detention Center after his arrest. He was later released on a $15,000 bond.

Rivers’ attorney, Seth Rose, provided the following statement to WIS:

“Representative Rivers is asserting his innocence to this accusation levied against him by a political opponent. Michael has served admirably in the State Legislature and he is a retired member United States military. He has been an upstanding citizen for nearly seven decades. We ask for the public to withhold judgment until the facts come to light and this matter is resolved in a Court of law.”

This is a developing story. Stay with WIS for updates.

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