A Berkeley County, South Carolina planning commissioner drew his sidearm and chambered a round during a public meeting on June 23, 2026, setting off a controversy that has cost him a law enforcement designation and raised questions about a broader pattern of gun-related incidents involving local officials in the state.
What Happened
James Sineath, 71, of Summerville, pulled out a handgun and chambered a round approximately two hours into a planning commission meeting focused on residential housing development. The gathering took place at the Berkeley County administration building on Highway 52 in Moncks Corner. Members of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office were present at the time, attending to a separate disturbance in the room.
The moment was recorded on the county’s official YouTube feed. Amber Campbell-Moore, a committeewoman seated directly to Sineath’s right, told him plainly she was uncomfortable with what he had done. Sineath responded: “Well, you’re just going to have to be uncomfortable.”
Sineath later told the Post and Courier that he holds “special deputy” status with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office and that he never drew the weapon. The video record directly contradicts that account.
Official Response
Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy Jeremy Baker said Sineath’s conduct was “uncalled for.” Shortly after, authorities revoked Sineath’s special deputy designation entirely.
The county’s own personnel manual prohibits employees from bringing weapons onto government property. South Carolina law under § 23-31-240 outlines specific categories of individuals permitted to carry firearms in such settings; Sineath does not fall within those exemptions.
Whether the State Law Enforcement Division has opened a formal investigation into the Sineath incident was not confirmed at the time of publication.
By the Numbers
- June 23, 2026 — date of the planning commission incident
- ~2 hours — how far into the meeting the incident occurred
- 71 — Sineath’s age
- 1 — the South Carolina statutory section governing permitted weapon carriers on government property
- 0 — exemptions under that statute applicable to Sineath
A Second Incident Adds Context
The Sineath episode is not the only recent case involving a South Carolina official and a firearm in a public setting. State Representative Michael Frank Rivers Sr. allegedly pointed a weapon at an individual on June 9, 2026, outside a polling place in Green Pond, S.C. The incident took place on the same day Rivers lost a bid for a sixth term in the legislature, defeated by Shannon N. DeLoach. The State Law Enforcement Division is currently investigating that case.
The back-to-back incidents — one at a planning meeting, one at a polling location — have drawn attention to how South Carolina handles armed officials in civic and governmental spaces, and whether existing statutes are being enforced consistently.
For more on law enforcement activity and public safety developments in South Carolina, see related coverage from across the state.
What’s Next
Sineath has lost his honorary law enforcement status, but it remains unclear whether he faces additional legal or administrative consequences. The status of any SLED inquiry into his conduct had not been confirmed. The planning commission has not publicly addressed whether Sineath retains his seat on the body.
The Rivers investigation by SLED is ongoing, with no timeline for conclusions disclosed. Both cases may prompt renewed legislative discussion about South Carolina’s rules governing armed officials at public functions — particularly in light of the existing statutory framework that already restricts who may lawfully carry in government buildings.