CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — One person was killed and seven others were wounded after a suspected drive-by shooting at a South Carolina graduation party, authorities said Sunday.
The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the shooting in the St. Paul community outside of Summerton, WLTX-TV reported.
According to Sheriff Tim Baxley, the shooting was gang-related, WIS-TV reported. Baxley said that at about 11 p.m. EDT on Saturday, two cars pulled into a yard where the party was being held outside a residence and opened fire before speeding away, according to the television station.
Baxley said that a 32-year-old woman was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to WLTX. The wounded victims included two 15-year-olds, a 12-year-old, a 13-year-old, a 14-year-old, a 17-year-old and a 36-year-old, the sheriff said.
Approximately 60 shell casings were recovered from the scene, according to the television station. It is unclear whether anyone was targeted, or whether anyone in the crowd returned fire, WLTX reported.
“Senseless acts won’t be tolerated. There’s absolutely no reasoning whatsoever for things like this to be happening,” Baxley said. “This was a school graduation party and you’ve got all these innocent children that were there that were hit by gunfire.”
All of the victims were transported to Clarendon McLeod Hospital, WACH-TV reported.
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