Crime
U.S. Navy Sailor Shawon Shamarion Williams Arrested in Connection with Little River Mass Shooting
LITTLE RIVER, SC / LAKE COUNTY, IL — A U.S. Navy sailor has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting that occurred over Memorial Day weekend in Little River, South Carolina.
Authorities say 19-year-old Shawon Shamarion Williams was taken into custody in Lake County, Illinois, on Thursday, and is expected to face multiple charges stemming from the incident, which left at least 10 people injured.
According to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Williams, a Hull Maintenance Technician Seaman, was stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago and assigned to the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command.
He was arrested Thursday afternoon and booked into the Lake County Jail as a fugitive of justice.
The shooting took place on the evening of Saturday, May 25, around 9:15 p.m., as guests disembarked from a private charter boat near Watson Avenue in Little River — a community near the South Carolina-North Carolina border.
The event was part of the “Rock Tha Boat Jackie-O & Friends Annual Birthday Boat Party,” hosted by Jacklyn Patrice Bellamy.
Authorities believe an argument among attendees escalated into gunfire shortly after the vessel docked.
Cellphone footage captured the chaotic moments as gunshots rang out, sending people fleeing in panic.
Witness Jeremy Evans, one of the ten victims, recounted the terrifying experience. “We got shot coming off the boat. I was on the pier when I got hit in the leg,” Evans said. “I had to take off my shorts and wrap them around the wound. It was a mass shooting. Ten of us got sprayed on that deck.”
South Carolina authorities have confirmed that Williams will face several counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Officials also stated that additional arrests could follow as the investigation progresses.
Cmdr. Jessica L. McNulty, a spokesperson for the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, confirmed Williams’ military assignment and noted that custody has been transferred to local law enforcement in preparation for extradition proceedings.
Williams is expected to appear in court Friday morning in Illinois, where the formal extradition process to South Carolina will begin.
The Horry County Police Department, which is leading the investigation, emphasized that the shooting appears to have stemmed from a personal dispute during the private event.
The department is urging anyone with additional video footage or information about the incident to come forward as the investigation continues.
The shooting has sparked renewed concerns about gun violence and safety during large public gatherings, particularly during holiday weekends.
Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”