Four people were reportedly killed and at least 20 others were injured after a mass shooting early Sunday at a crowded bar in South Carolina, officials said.
A large crowd was at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island when sheriff’s deputies arrived and found many people with gunshot wounds.
Bar owner Willie Turral was inside the establishment, which was packed for a high school alumni event, when he heard shots going off “in bursts” outside. He described the scene: “Screaming and panic and fear,” The Associated Press reported.
Authorities responded to reports of a shooting at the bar at about 1 a.m. local time on Sunday, according to a news release shared by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
The BCSO said in a statement on X that many people ran to nearby businesses seeking shelter from the gunfire.
“Several victims were transported by Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the hospital. More victims continued to show up at area hospitals seeking medical attention from injuries sustained at the scene,” police said in the news release.
Four people were pronounced dead at the scene and four others were taken to local hospitals in critical condition, police said.
Authorities identified the three men and a woman who were killed during the weekend mass shooting as Kashawn Glaze, 22, Chiraad Smalls, 33, Amos Gary, 54 and A’shan’tek Milledge, 22.
“This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone,” the BSCO said in a statement. “We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones.”
Authorities said that the Sheriff’s Office “is investigating persons of interest” and added that they “appreciated the assistance of multiple Law Enforcement agencies, area Fire Departments, and Beaufort County EMS as we all worked the scene to assist those with injuries.”
Turral said that people were having a good time at the bar when shots were heard.
“It was scary from the inside,” he said, with “people not knowing what’s really going on outside, people trying to get to safety.”
Willie’s Bar and Grill advertises itself as serving authentic Gullah-inspired cuisine and describes itself on its website as “not just a restaurant but a community pillar committed to giving back, especially to our youth.”
South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace posted on X that she was “COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN to learn about the devastating shooting.”
“Our prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted by this horrific act of violence,” she added.
“The tragic news out of Beaufort County is heartbreaking. I’m lifting up in prayer the families who lost loved ones and those who were injured,” South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott wrote.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact local authorities or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers in Beaufort County.
— With files from The Associated Press