1 dead, 7 injured, including teens, after Summerton graduation party

SUMMERTON – One woman is dead and seven people including six teenagers were injured late Saturday night in a shooting in the St. Paul area of Clarendon County.

“This appears to be a gang related incident stemming from previous drive by shootings in other parts of the county,” Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley said. “We are and will continue to work on this incident until arrests are made on the persons responsible. These acts of violence cannot continue. Innocent children and adults are suffering the consequences of these acts.”

According to Baxley, those shot included a 12-year-old, a 13-year-old, a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds, a 17-year-old and a 36-year-old.  Adrionna Kind, 32, of Summerton, died at Prisma Health Richland on Sunday morning. Kind was airlifted from McLeod Health Clarendon late Saturday night.

The shooting occurred shortly after 11 p.m. during a graduation party at a residence off U.S. 15 in the southern part of Clarendon County about 3.5 miles south of Summerton.

Baxley said that when officers arrived on scene, there were approximately 150 people in the yard of the home and there were multiple gunshot victims.

Clarendon County Fire Rescue personnel and deputies began treating and transporting victims to McLeod Health Clarendon.

Baxley said that according to witnesses two vehicles approached the residence. One vehicle stayed on the highway while the other vehicle pulled up into the residence’s yard. Baxley said he’s not sure whether shots were fired at specific persons or just randomly into the crowd. The vehicles left the area headed south on St. Paul Highway.

The sheriff said that at least 60-70 shots were fired during the incident.

“It is not clear, as of yet, if some of these rounds may have been return fire from some of the subjects at the party,” Baxley added.

Baxley asks that anyone with information on the shooting to call the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 435-4414. All callers may remain anonymous.

“Our Summerton community is wounded at this moment,” Summerton Mayor Tony Junious said on his Facebook page Sunday morning. “We’re praying for the families involved in this tragedy. We ask our community to turn down your plates this morning and intercede on their behalf to God in prayer.”

“The Lord knows,” Junious added. “We need a miracle. To all the victims and their families, we life you up in prayer this morning. We know God is able. Remember, we’re Summerton Strong! Together, we can all make a difference in our communities.”

Community comes together in prayer

Summerton Mayor Tony Junious and councilman Terrance G. Tindal along with community ministers and leaders will join hands at 7 p.m. tonight in front of Ridgeway Park off Main Street in Summerton to “Lift the community in Prayer.”

All ministers, leaders and members of the community are invited to attend.