St. Helena Shootout: Ongoing Feud Preceded Fatal Gunfight

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by JENN WOOD

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In a press conference held Wednesday morning, Beaufort County, South Carolina sheriff P.J. Tanner said investigators believe two — possibly three — individuals exchanged gunfire during an ongoing dispute just before closing time outside Willie’s Bar & Grill early Sunday morning (October 12, 2025), turning a crowded gathering into the county’s worst mass-injury shooting in memory.

“Twenty people were injured, four lost their lives,” Tanner said, adding that all of those injured were gunshot victims. Four were initially in critical condition; at least two of those have improved since Sunday.

The sheriff described a chaotic scene with an estimated 500–700 attendees on the property. The shooting occurred in the parking lot near the front steps of the business. Law enforcement personnel from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), Beaufort City Police, Port Royal Police, the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) and Beaufort County EMS responded.

Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene: Kashawn Glaze, 22, of Beaufort, S.C., Chiraad Smalls (originally listed as Sherrod), 33, of Beaufort, S.C., A’shan’tek Milledge, 22, of Burton, S.C. and Amos Gary, 54, of St. Helena, S.C.

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RELATED | FOUR VICTIMS IDENTIFIED IN MASS SHOOTING ON ST. HELENA ISLAND

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MULTIPLE SHOOTERS, MASSIVE CROWD, MOUNTING EVIDENCE

Sheriff Tanner said he personally walked the scene with master sergeant T. Duncan, the case officer, in the early hours of Sunday morning as investigators documented what he described as a “horrific” scene littered with shell casings and physical evidence. That material — including firearms, projectiles, and spent casings — is now being analyzed by multiple agencies.

The S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is conducting firearms and ballistics testing; the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is assisting with video enhancement and forensic review; and Beaufort County’s lab is handling DNA analysis to establish connections between evidence and potential suspects. Tanner said additional forensic material – including weapons recovered from the scene – was being delivered to SLED for priority testing Wednesday afternoon.

“We have a lot of information,” Tanner said, “but it must be supported by the processing of evidence.”

The sheriff confirmed investigators have identified persons of interest in connection with the shooting and are working to corroborate leads through forensics and witness statements. Asked whether the public is safe while suspects remain at large, Tanner replied candidly: “I cannot tell you that you’re safe in Beaufort County.”

According to Tanner, the shooting stemmed from an ongoing feud between two — possibly three — individuals who knew each other, and that the confrontation escalated in the crowded parking lot just before closing time. While not definitively labeling it a gang-related incident, Tanner noted social-media disputes and retaliatory violence have become increasingly common across the county, with local conflicts now showing links to national gang networks.

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‘SWITCH GUNS’, BOND CONCERNS AND A LARGER TREND

At Wednesday’s press conference, sheriff Tanner said the mass shooting on St. Helena Island reflected a dangerous convergence of repeat offenders, gang rivalries, and weak judicial oversight — a pattern increasingly familiar across South Carolina.

Tanner confirmed investigators believe the gunfire erupted between two — possibly three — individuals engaged in an ongoing feud, and while he stopped short of labeling it a gang-related shooting, he acknowledged the region’s “growing gang connectivity” — including ties to nationally affiliated organizations. He said many of these groups use social media to coordinate conflicts and flaunt weapons, a trend law enforcement sees “in every corner of the state.”

Over the past 18 months, Beaufort County deputies have made 24 arrests involving illegal automatic weapons — handguns modified with “switch” devices that allow them to fire in fully automatic bursts. Only six of those suspects remain behind bars.

“That’s ridiculous,” Tanner said. “Possession of a machine gun should mean no bond — especially for someone with prior charges.”

His frustration mirrors the warnings of S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson and SLED chief Mark Keel, who in 2023 urged the S.C. General Assembly to pass comprehensive bond reform. In a joint letter to lawmakers, the two stated the Palmetto State’s current bond system “allows, and often enables, violent criminals to continue committing violent crimes instead of preventing them.”

They also condemned the state’s lax electronic monitoring standards, saying the lack of oversight poses “a safety risk for victims and the community.”

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RELATED | ‘CLOSE REVOLVING DOOR OF JUSTICE’

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Such danger is evident across the Lowcountry. In Colleton County, sheriff Guerry “Buddy” Hill and Walterboro police chief Wade Marvin recently addressed residents at a public safety forum – describing an entrenched network of local gangs and social crews responsible for a string of shootings, drivebys, and retaliatory ambushes. Hill said his deputies have responded to more than 300 reports of gunfire this year, seizing 79 weapons and arresting dozens of repeat offenders tied to the same ongoing turf disputes.

Meanwhile, Walterboro police have launched a twelve-point strategy to combat gang and gun violence — including increased patrols in known hot spots, real-time social media monitoring, and expanded cooperation between schools and law enforcement. But local leaders say their efforts are repeatedly undermined by lenient bond rulings and a judicial system incapable of keeping dangerous offenders in custody.

This frustration was echoed earlier this month by S.C. sixteenth circuit solicitor Kevin Brackett and first circuit solicitor David Pascoe, who joined victims’ families — including Steve Federico, whose daughter Logan was murdered by a career offender — to call for sweeping reform of South Carolina’s judicial selection process. They blasted the state’s lawyer-legislator-controlled judiciary, calling it a “crime-enabling” system that values political connections over public safety.

“You cannot have an independent judiciary when judges are hired, fired, and funded by the legislature,” Pascoe said, warning that political cronyism has turned South Carolina’s court system into a revolving door for violent criminals.

As FITSNews has consistently reported, the combination of increasing gang activity, unchecked firearm proliferation, and a broken judicial framework has left communities vulnerable from Columbia to Walterboro to St. Helena Island. Until state lawmakers enact meaningful reforms — and judges start prioritizing public safety over political loyalty — law enforcement officials say the cycle will continue.

“We can make the arrests,” Tanner said bluntly. “But if they’re back out before the ink dries, what difference does it make?”

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CALL FOR WITNESSES

Despite the crowd size, Tanner said detectives still need the cooperation of eyewitnesses, saying “we had 700 people at this party, and we have yet to get a witness that can tell us who the shooters are.”

Tanner attributed this reluctance primarily to fear of retaliation, not a lack of trust in law enforcement.

Evidence is being fast-tracked by SLED and the FBI, and BCSO will continue vetting the “multitude of tips” already submitted, the sheriff added. He declined to discuss potential arrests or timelines – except to note that lab processing will drive the next public update.

The Beaufort County School District (BCSD) previously clarified that the gathering at Willie’s was not a school-sanctioned event; alumni organizers speaking at today’s Q&A likewise stated their tailgate was separate and peaceful.

Have information? Even small details can matter. Send videos from before, during or after the shooting to:

• Investigator (Case Officer): Master Sergeant T. Duncan — 843-255-3418, TDuncan@BCGov.net
• Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County (anonymous): P3 Tips app, tipsbft.com, 844-TIPS-BFT (844-847-7238)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.

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