SC identifies 74-year-old man killed by police in Fort Mill; SLED investigating
State investigators have identified the man killed by police on Tuesday at a Fort Mill apartment.
Rock Hill officers working on a regional task force fatally shot Yves Venne, 74, according to the State Law Enforcement Division.
He was shot before noon while officers on York County’s sex crime and drug units were serving a warrant on him at the Sycamore Apartments, according to SLED and the York County Coroner. He died later at a hospital.
The names of the officers who shot have not been released.
SLED, headed by Chief Mark Keel, would not answer questions from The Herald on Wednesday, including whether the man killed had threatened officers, whether officer body cameras were activated, and whether anyone else was inside the apartment. The agency did release a statement with comment on one bit of evidence: The agency said Venne was “armed with an object later determined to be a metal tire iron.”
The area is near the intersection of Merritt Road between Rock Hill and Charlotte. The apartments are across Merritt Road from the Springfield subdivision.
Police wear body cameras, but police will not release footage
The county’s sex crimes task force and drug unit are made up of officers from many police departments in York County. Both officers who fired weapons are Rock Hill officers, according to SLED and Rock Hill police spokesman Lt. Michael Chavis.
Rock Hill police and the York County Sheriff’s Office asked SLED for the state investigation of the shooting.
Chavis declined to release the names of the officers Wednesday, pending the SLED investigation being completed. Rock Hill police will also do an internal investigation, he said.
Rock Hill officers wear body cameras, but Chavis said the department does not release body camera footage. South Carolina open records laws exclude body camera footage, but police agencies can release the footage publicly if they choose.
The Chester County sheriff released body camera video last month.
The two officers have been placed on administrative leave, Chavis said.
The fatal police shooting is the second one in York County this year.
It is unclear how long the SLED investigation will take. When complete, 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett, York County’s top prosecutor, will review the findings to determine if either of the two officers should be charged with a crime.
This is a breaking news story and may be updated.
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 6:42 PM with the headline "SC identifies 74-year-old man killed by police in Fort Mill; SLED investigating."
