Hilton Head man claims ‘prosecution by TikTok’ led to arrest alongside fired deputy
Facing criminal charges alongside a fired Beaufort County deputy who drew a gun on three teenagers, a Hilton Head Island man claimed in a court filing that “prosecution by TikTok” led to his arrest in the aftermath of the viral September incident.
Brian Stahlheber, 47, filed the speedy trial memorandum Dec. 2, asking for an April trial for his charges of aggravated breach of peace and giving false information to law enforcement.
Charging documents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Stahlheber incorrectly told his neighbor — off-duty deputy William Squires — that a teenage boy walking with two friends through the neighborhood had flashed a gun at him. The claim prompted Squires’ explosive confrontation with the 14-year-old boys, which led to his firing about a week later.
The affidavits also accuse Stahlheber of later restraining one boy on the ground and “applying choking pressure,” contributing to a “volatile scene” in the roadway of the Squiresgate subdivision.
In his Dec. 2 filing, first reported by The Post and Courier, Stahlheber claims the viral clips taken by the teens were carefully selected and edited “to generate maximum outrage.” He argues the videos did not capture certain aspects of the incident, like the juvenile appearing to have a firearm “protruding from his waistband” and placing his hand on the apparent weapon.
Stahlheber requests an April trial “so that he may vindicate his name and present the complete truth that the viral video concealed.”
The document says Stahlheber was enjoying Sunday afternoon football and riding his four-wheeler when he approached the three juveniles, who “had a history of terrorizing the community and had threatened him before.” The teen he believed to have a gun threatened Stahlheber and “got up in his face,” the filing says.
Shaken up by the incident, Stahlheber reported the incident to Squires, “who happens to be a law enforcement officer,” and returned home to protect his family, according to the court document.
Cellphone video taken by the teens then shows Squires approaching them with his sheriff’s office vest and service pistol, pointing his gun at the boys and threatening to shoot. He was also seen grabbing one teen by the arm and struggling with him in the roadway.
Deputies later responded to the scene and, after viewing the videos, chose not to arrest the teens. Police did not find a firearm in the boys’ possession or in the vicinity of the incident.
Stahlheber argues the prosecution against him sets a dangerous precedent by disregarding the “see something, say something” rule often cited in law enforcement circles. “By prosecuting a citizen for reporting what he reasonably believed to be an armed threat, the state of South Carolina has declared open season on those who would protect their communities,” reads the introduction of Stahlheber’s 18-page memorandum.
The filing refers to three videos included in Stahlheber’s motion, showing “threats against Brian and his whole community” and one that reportedly captures the juveniles attempting to break into houses within Squiresgate.
“The father of one of the juveniles came to Brian’s home and made direct threats. The father of one of the members have driven past shouting racial slurs,” the document says. “Brian has reported each incident. The government’s response: silence.”
It also criticizes the court’s order to restrict firearms in the Stahlheber’s home, which reportedly led to the confiscation of his wife’s firearms.
Stahlheber’s family now sleeps behind gun safes that line the home’s walls for protection, the filing says.
Incident leads to federal lawsuits
The late-September incident prompted three lawsuits against Squires and the sheriff’s office, one from each teen’s family. One suit includes Stahlheber as a defendant, and all three name “John Does 1-5” as stand-ins for unidentified neighbors who helped restrain the teens on the roadway.
All three lawsuits are filed in federal court because they involve alleged constitutional violations, including breaches of the Fourth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Stahlheber and Squires’ criminal charges, as well as the three federal lawsuits stemming from the Sept. 28 event, remained pending in their respective courts. It was not immediately clear if Stahlheber’s request for a speedy trial would be granted.
