Man arrested after firing gun by county fair in the Midlands, sheriff says
A man was arrested after firing a gun near a county fair in the Midlands over the weekend, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said.
Shikeem Singleton, a 21-year-old Sumter resident, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and aggravated breach of peace, the sheriff’s office said Tuesday in a news release.
The shooting happened Saturday night at the Sumter County Fair, according to the release.
Deputies patrolling the fairgrounds responded to hearing shots fired in the parking lot across the street from the fair, the sheriff’s office said.
Witnesses described the shooter and deputies were led toward Liberty Street where a person with a gun was seen and Singleton was located, according to the release.
In addition to matching the description and being identified by a fair employee, Singleton was in possession of an AR-style pistol and a second loaded magazine, the sheriff’s office said.
That gun matched the caliber of shell casings found in the parking lot where the shots were fired, according to the release.
After the shots were fired the fair entrances and exits were temporarily locked down to protect the public, the sheriff’s office said.
There were no reported injuries and no identified victims from the shooting, according to the release.
Information about a motive for the gunfire was not available.
“This annual event is meant for the people to relax and enjoy a family environment. Many people look forward to the fair every year,” Sheriff Anthony Dennis said in the release. “Why someone would destroy this by unlawfully bringing and shooting a gun, causing hysteria to thousands of patrons, is a question that only this suspect can answer. This type of behavior in our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Singleton, who isn’t certified to carry a concealed firearm, was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center where he received an $11,000 surety bond, the sheriff’s office said.
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