ST.HELENA ISLAND, S.C., 13 October (H.S.): A mass shooting at a popular island bar in South Carolina during the early hours of Sunday morning left four people dead and at least 20 others injured, sparking a large-scale law enforcement investigation.The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, where hundreds of people were gathered for a Battery Creek High School alumni event.

According to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire erupted at the crowded venue, causing patrons to flee to nearby businesses for shelter. Responding deputies arrived to a chaotic scene with numerous gunshot victims.

Four individuals were pronounced dead at the bar, and more than 20 others sustained injuries.

Among the injured, four were listed in critical condition at area hospitals. Witnesses described the sound of automatic gunfire, with one local resident likening it to a machine gun.The bar’s owner, Willie Turral, told reporters that mayhem broke out after the shooting began outside his establishment and that one of the victims was a security guard he knew personally.

Willie’s Bar and Grill is known for its Gullah-inspired cuisine and its role in the local Gullah Geechee community, who are descendants of enslaved Africans from the coastal region.The investigation is ongoing, with the sheriff’s office looking into persons of interest .

No arrests have been officially announced, and authorities have not yet specified a motive . The location has a history of violence; a previous shooting in 2022, when the establishment was named the Island Grill, left two people injured.The shooting drew immediate condemnation from public officials. U.S. Representative Nancy Mace wrote on social media that she was COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN by the horrific act of violence, while Congressman James Clyburn called it a senseless tragedy.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar