Midlands party turns deadly after shooting, says sheriff who is searching for suspects
What was intended to be a fun evening turned deadly when a shooting occurred at a Midlands party, the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday.
One person was killed, another hospitalized after gunfire broke out at the Hartford Community Center, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. That is on Highway 395, less than two miles from Newberry Christian Academy.
Law enforcement responded to shots fired calls at the party at about 2 a.m., and learned there was gunfire in a crowded parking lot, according to the release.
An argument spilled over to the parking lot and several people opened fire into the crowd, the sheriff’s office said.
One man died in the shooting, according to the release.
He will be publicly identified by the Newberry County Coroner’s Office after his family has been notified.
Another person suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was taken to an area hospital.
The sheriff’s office described the injury as severe, but further information on the person’s condition was not available.
No suspects have been arrested or charged because investigators say they are not receiving much cooperation from witnesses at the party, according to the release.
“We cannot solve these senseless cases of violence unless people come forward and tell us what happened,” Sheriff Lee Foster said in the release. “Someone has lost a loved one, a son, a brother, a friend and we had people refusing to cooperate. In fact, there were people there that were intimidating others not to cooperate.
“Put yourself in the victim’s family’s shoes and think about losing your loved one to an act of pure nonsense and not being afforded justice.”
Anyone with information is asked to call 911, the sheriff’s office at 803-321-2222, or report it to CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
In addition to the sheriff’s office, members of the Newberry Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Highway Patrol, as well as police from Prosperity and Whitmire responded to the shooting and helped secure the scene, according to the release.
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