Midlands officer abused his wife with police baton, according to department chief

The Holly Hill Police Department fired one of its officers after he was accused of using his police issued baton to hit his wife, according to his police record.

The former officer, Mahmoud Youssry Rizk, was charged with domestic violence by North Charleston Police Department. He struck his wife in her legs with the baton, according to a police report.

The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg first reported on Rizk’s firing.

His police record from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy showed that the Holly Hill Police Department fired Rizk on July 30, citing misconduct. The department’s chief told the academy that Rizk was fired for “unsafe practices” involving a police weapon that showed “willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons.” Rizk also lied on his application to be an officer with the department, the chief wrote. Rizk said he was divorced on the application but was not divorced.

The Times and Democrat reported from a North Charleston Police Department report that said Rizk used his baton on his wife on July 13, and it was reported on July 26. Police saw “numerous texts of a threatening nature” as well from Rizk to his wife, the report said.

When contacted by the Times and Democrat, Rizk denied the allegations and said he expected the charges to be dropped and to get his job back.

Rizk began his career as a guard at Charleston County’s jail in 2017. He then became a deputy for the county sheriff’s office. He worked for four police agencies in five years. He started at the Holly Hill Police Department in April.

Holly Hill is a town in Orangeburg County.

Rizk is the eleventh South Carolina officer charged with domestic violence or another form violence against a woman this year. He’s the third officer charged in July.

In April, The State reported on the disturbing amount of SC police officers who were charged from 2010 to 2020 with violence against women. Most of those charges were domestic violence. On average, nine police officers a year are accused of violence against women in SC. Survivor advocates said that number is likely too low and doesn’t given an accurate picture of the amount of violence because victims don’t always report abuse, fearing further abuse.

Domestic violence, depending on the nature of the offense, is punishable with 90 days to 20 years imprisonment.