Midlands man was shot dead in a parked car, and police are looking for leads
One person was shot and killed in a parked car in Sumter Friday night when gunfire broke out following a fight, according to a statement Saturday by the Sumter Police Department.
Officers responding to a 911 call around 9:30 p.m. found Jamal Ta’Rek Thames, 21, dead inside of a car parked outside of a business and adjacent nightclub on Manning Avenue in Sumter, according to the police department.
In their statement, authorities said that “preliminary information gathered indicates a fight between a group of people preceded the gunfire.”
While a number of shell casings were found in the area, the police department said that few details were available and the investigation is ongoing.
“No one with information about what took place came forward after officers arrived,” the department wrote in a statement.
The statement released by the department did not indicate whether Thames was involved in the fight or was the intended target of the shooting. The State has contacted the the Sumter Police Department for additional information.
An autopsy has been scheduled for Thames, who was a resident of Meadowbrook Road in Sumter.
The Sumter Police Department has asked anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-888-CRIME-SC, online at P3tips.com or by downloading and using the P3tips app.
This is a breaking news story. Check back here for more details.
This story was originally published December 23, 2023 at 3:14 PM.