A South Carolina reserve deputy’s night out with coworkers ended in a viral video, allegations of assault, and her firing after a confrontation at a bar. The incident happened on Thursday, July 30, at Cedar Creek Tavern in Ladson, South Carolina, during a company team-building dinner.
According to witnesses Anthony Hernandez and Zachary Oppy, the argument began after Stefanie Gagliardi asked a woman in their group to take a photo of her and her wife, Samantha Gagliardi.
When the woman declined, Oppy told The Carolina Courier that Samantha became angry, started calling the woman offensive names, and got inches away from Oppy and Hernandez while yelling at them.
The viral video shows Samantha Gagliardi telling the group, “Oh, you’re just chilling? Look at me and my Jewish nose,” a comment that has sparked backlash online. Hernandez also said Gagliardi knocked his phone out of his hand while he was recording. According to Oppy, after the recording stopped, Gagliardi tried to charge at the group again while shouting, “I’ll *expletive* kill you, *expletive*.”
Goose Creek police officers responded to the scene but, according to the witnesses, they left without taking a report or identifying themselves. Hernandez’s group told the outlet: “All the cop did when he showed up was tell her to walk away.”
However, the witnesses claimed one officer mentioned that Gagliardi worked for the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, allowing people to identify her within about an hour after the video spread online.
A second video recorded later that night in a nearby parking lot also appeared to show Samantha Gagliardi and her wife involved in a separate physical fight with each other, the outlet added.
Internet Reacts to South Carolina Deputy’s Viral Firing
The story sparked backlash online, with many commenters mocking the deputy’s conduct and others using the incident to criticize police behavior more broadly.
One commenter wrote, “That’s wonderful impulse control from an officer.” Another made a similar point, joking, “Oof….alcohol and arrogance do not combine well.”
A third took a broader shot at law enforcement: “Typical cop behavior.” Someone else was more blunt: “Samantha ain’t too bright.” A fifth commenter turned the focus toward drinking culture: “People like this is how drinking alcohol gets a bad rap.”
Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis confirmed to The Carolina Courier that deputies went to Samantha Gagliardi’s home, collected her department-issued equipment, and informed her that she had been fired from the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Gagliardi’s LinkedIn profile, she joined the sheriff’s office in July 2023 after unsuccessful applications to the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Meanwhile, witnesses Anthony Hernandez and Zachary Oppy told the outlet they plan to pursue assault charges against Gagliardi. Because she was a sworn law enforcement officer, they said the case would likely be handled by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Stefanie denied the allegations when contacted by The Carolina Courier, saying simply, “There is no story.”
