Crime
Man injured in shooting at Walmart in Sumter, suspect in custody
UPDATE: Suspect has been taken into custody.
Sumter, SC – The Sumter Police Department responded to a shooting incident at the Broad Street Walmart on Friday afternoon following reports of gunfire inside the store.
Upon arrival, officers located one individual with injuries resulting from the shooting.
The victim is currently receiving medical treatment, though their condition has not been disclosed.
Following a preliminary investigation, authorities have determined that the shooting was not an active shooter situation, but rather stemmed from an altercation between two individuals.
Officials have released surveillance images of a suspect believed to be involved in the incident and are seeking public assistance in identifying them.
A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.
Authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward.
The situation has been contained, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, including any prior connection between the individuals involved.
The Sumter Police Department is encouraging witnesses or those with information to contact Crime Stoppers or the police department directly.
GNADENHUTTEN, Ohio — Authorities have identified three people, including a 22-month-old boy, who were found dead with apparent gunshot wounds inside a residence in Gnadenhutten, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, early Wednesday morning.
The Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as Kozzar J. Lotut, 22 months; Melissa E. Campbell, 51; and Gale F. Sanders, 67. Their bodies were transported to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies, according to a statement released Thursday.
The cause and manner of death for all three individuals remain pending. Authorities have not yet disclosed the circumstances that led to the deaths or announced whether anyone has been charged.
According to the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began at approximately 4:17 a.m. Wednesday when the county’s 911 dispatch center received a hang-up call.
The call disconnected almost immediately and did not provide a location that dispatchers could trace directly.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office said dispatchers attempted to call the number back several times. During one of those calls, a voice could reportedly be heard softly saying the word “help.”
Dispatchers and deputies made multiple attempts to trace the phone and establish its location. Investigators later learned that the device might be in the 200 block of North Cherry Street in Gnadenhutten.
The sheriff’s office said the phone’s owner initially indicated that it was a spare device he had loaned to an associate.
Authorities said a family member was eventually located and unlocked the door to the residence, allowing responders to discover the three deceased individuals inside.
The victims consisted of one child, one adult man and one adult woman. According to the sheriff’s office, all three appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.
A firearm was also recovered at the scene, officials said.
Investigators have not publicly established how the three individuals died, whether the deaths were connected to one another or what circumstances preceded the discovery. The presence of a firearm does not, by itself, establish how it was used or who may have been involved.
The Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office ordered autopsies to help determine the cause and manner of death for Lotut, Campbell and Sanders.
In its Thursday statement, the office said the investigation remained ongoing and that additional information would be released when available and appropriate.
Officials have not announced a definitive cause of death for any of the three individuals.
The identities of the deceased have now been released, but important questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered as investigators continue examining evidence and interviewing people connected to the case.
The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged that investigators still have significant work ahead, including interviewing multiple people and examining evidence collected at the scene.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the sheriff’s office expressed confidence that the broader community was not in danger.
“There are many people to interview and much to do with evidence from the scene but I feel strongly that the community is in no danger,” the sheriff’s office stated.
No further details about a possible suspect, motive or sequence of events were included in the information released.
The investigation into the deaths of Kozzar J. Lotut, Melissa E. Campbell and Gale F. Sanders remains active. Authorities say additional information may be released as the investigation progresses and as appropriate.