4 killed, 16 injured in shooting at South Carolina bar

Four people were killed and 16 others were injured when gunfire erupted outside a crowded bar on St. Helena Island in South Carolina’s Beaufort County, according to officials.

The shooting happened early Sunday outside Willie’s Bar and Grill on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, where hundreds of people had gathered for an alumni celebration, according to a statement from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and local media reports.

Deputies arrived shortly after 1 a.m. to find a large crowd and multiple victims, several of whom were transported to hospitals by emergency services while others arrived on their own.

In total, 20 people were confirmed as victims, including four who were pronounced dead and four others who remain in critical condition. Early media reports suggested as many as 24 victims, but the sheriff’s office confirmed to BNO News that the total number is 20, including those killed.

Authorities are investigating persons of interest but have not announced any arrests.

Willie Turral, the owner of the bar, told WJCL that he heard what sounded like machine gun fire outside before people began rushing indoors to take cover. He described the aftermath as “mayhem,” with bodies on the ground and CPR being performed on victims in the parking lot.

Turral said one of those killed was a security officer he knew personally and that there had been no prior signs of trouble during the event.

The shooting took place on St. Helena Island, a coastal community near Beaufort, about 60 miles southwest of Charleston. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing.