Shooting suspect still sought in recent gas station drive-by

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By HEATHER WALTERS 

Law enforcement officers are still looking for the man wanted on several attempted murder charges in a recent Walterboro shooting. However, officers’ attempts to arrest the shooter are being blocked by the crime's victims, who are refusing to cooperate with police. 

According to a Walterboro Police Department incident report, officers were initially called to the Enmarket Gas Station on Robertson Boulevard in Walterboro on March 12th to a report of a shooting. When the officer arrived, he said in his report that he immediately saw a black handgun on the ground, along with blood. There was also a red jeep that had crashed into a nearby ditch. The vehicle was still running, the report states. The officer also said in his report that he found a large handgun on the back seat of the vehicle, along with blood inside the car. 

In addition officers found numerous shell casings on the ground, at the gas station. 

Soon, officers were notified that a shooting victim had been taken to Colleton Medical Center by private vehicle. Initially, officers were informed about three victims from the shooting. However, later in their investigation, officers were contacted about two additional victims from the same shooting incident, according to Sgt. Tavara Edwards, with the Walterboro Police Department. 

The victims are not cooperating with police, as of press deadline. They are listed as a 20-year-old woman; a 22-year-old man; a 23-year-old man; a 24-year-old man; and a 19-year-old man, all of whom are from Colleton County. However, a bystander from the gas station reported details that are helping officers in their investigation. 

The 25-year-old Walterboro suspect has not been arrested yet and is still at large, according to Edwards. Because of the victims’ lack of cooperation in the investigation, the city’s current charge against the suspect is discharging a firearm in city limits. More warrants could be coming in the future, she said. 

Additionally, the local business/gas station sustained heavy damage as a result of the shooting. According to a police report, approximately $20,000 in damage was done to the gas pump and to the siding of the gas station’s building. There was also a broken window at the car wash, located next to the gas station. The broken window is valued at $500.