Crime
Police Responding to Barricade and Hostage Situation on Charter Drive in North Charleston
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Emergency law enforcement units are currently on the scene of an ongoing standoff involving a barricaded suspect and a reported hostage situation in North Charleston.
According to initial dispatch reports on Sunday, October 25, 2026, police responded to a residence located in the 5300 block of Charter Drive following reports of a violent incident.
First responders located one victim suffering from a stabbing. That individual was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
Preliminary reports indicate that a suspect subsequently barricaded themselves inside the home and is reportedly holding one person hostage.
Law enforcement officers remain actively deployed in the area managing the standoff. A public advisory has been issued urging residents and drivers to avoid Charter Drive and follow all instructions provided by officers on the scene.
Official statements and further details from local police have not yet been released as the situation remains active and fluid.
This is a developing report and will be updated as confirmed information becomes available.
Crime
Vicksburg Murder-Suicide Suspect Cedric Garrett Who Killed His Wife Val-Tricia Today, Also Killed His Brother Derrick Maxey in 2002
VICKSBURG, Miss. — Authorities are investigating an apparent murder-suicide after 53-year-old Val-Tricia Garrett, widely known in the community as “Ms. Val,” and her 40-year-old husband, Cedric Garrett, were found dead inside a vehicle behind the Vicksburg Convalescent Home on Friday, November 13, 2026.
The deaths have drawn renewed attention to a separate fatal incident involving Cedric Garrett more than two decades earlier in the same city.
According to law enforcement reports, the incident began unfolding around 7 a.m. Friday when Cedric Garrett, who used the name “Gee Gskii” on Facebook, began a live broadcast on the platform. During the video, he admitted to killing his wife and spoke at length about their 16-year relationship, alternating between expressions of love and accusations.
Throughout the recording, Garrett repeatedly apologized, stated that he had made serious mistakes, and claimed he had previously sought help without receiving support. He indicated that he intended to take his own life and stated he was driving to the nursing home where his mother worked. At one point during the broadcast, the camera panned toward the front passenger seat, showing an individual lying motionless.
Vicksburg police were alerted to the video as it circulated online and responded to the area around 9 a.m. Officers located Garrett armed inside a vehicle parked behind the Vicksburg Convalescent Home, near the intersection of Shannon and Cherry streets.
Police attempted to establish communication and bring the standoff to a peaceful resolution. At approximately 9:42 a.m., gunfire was reported from the vehicle. Vicksburg Police Chief Larry Burns confirmed that Garrett died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. When officers approached the car, they discovered Val-Tricia Garrett deceased in the front passenger seat.
Court and historical news records indicate that Friday’s shooting is the second fatal act of family violence involving Cedric Garrett in Vicksburg.
On September 13, 2002, Garrett—then 16 years old—fatally stabbed his 20-year-old brother, Derrick Dewayne Maxey, at their shared residence at 1425 Oakland Street. According to contemporary reporting by The Vicksburg Post, the stabbing occurred during a domestic argument in which Garrett picked up a knife and struck Maxey once in the left side.
Emergency medical personnel transported Maxey by ambulance to River Region Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. His body was subsequently sent to Pearl, Mississippi, for an autopsy.
The Vicksburg Police Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Friday’s apparent murder-suicide. Further details regarding the timeline of Val-Tricia Garrett’s death have not yet been released by officials.
News of Val-Tricia Garrett’s death has prompted widespread grief across Vicksburg, with friends, neighbors, and community members sharing tributes remembering her warmth and presence as “Ms. Val.”
Domestic Violence and Crisis Support Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or a mental health crisis, free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788
- Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
- Emergency Services: Call 911