Authorities are searching for a gunman who opened fire at a crowded South Carolina bar early Sunday morning, killing four people and wounding 20 others.
Hundreds of people gathered at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island for a high school reunion party Saturday night into Sunday morning when gunfire erupted, forcing the crowd to run to nearby businesses to find cover. Beaufort County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene around 1:00 a.m. and found that numerous people had been shot, according to ABC’s Charleston affiliate, WCIV.
Four people were declared dead, while the other victims were transported to the hospital. Four of the 20 people who were wounded in the shooting were in critical condition. It appears that the shooting took place outside the bar, where there was a party for alumni of Battery Creek High School.
St. Helena Island is 50 miles north of Savannah, Georgia.
The mass shooting remains under investigation. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said it is “investigating persons of interest,” but has not released any information about them as of Monday morning. The sheriff’s office is also waiting to notify the families of victims before it releases any information on their identities.
“This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone. We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones,” the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office also said that the public can submit anonymous tips if anyone has information regarding the shooting.
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Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, whose district includes St. Helena Island, said that she was “completely heartbroken.”
“Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence,” Mace added. “If you have any information, please contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at 843-255-3418, as soon as humanly possible.”
The deadly shooting in South Carolina came just weeks after three people were killed and five were wounded in a “highly premeditated” shooting at a North Carolina waterfront bar. The gunman in the North Carolina bar attack fired upon victims from his boat before speeding off. Authorities arrested a 40-year-old Marine veteran and charged him with three counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted first-degree murder, among other crimes.
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