Juvenile suspect in Coligny homicide turned in by family
A teenage boy was arrested Tuesday, accused of shooting and killing 17-year-old Dominique Williams at Coligny Beach Park on Sunday.
Family members of the juvenile turned him in to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, a news release said.
He will be detained at the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia, awaiting hearings on charges of murder and possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime in connection with the slaying of Williams, a former Hilton Head Island High School student.
A Family Court judge will determine whether the teenager, who is a local resident, will be charged as an adult.
His detainment followed two days of searching by authorities.
Deputies are still reviewing surveillance video of the fight and shooting, Capt. Bob Bromage said.
The suspect's handgun has not been recovered, according to Bromage.
The Sheriff's Office cannot legally name the suspect because he is under 17.
In South Carolina, juvenile offenders' names cannot be released to the media unless authorized by a court order, the juvenile has been charged as an adult or found delinquent in court for certain offenses, such as violent and felony drug crimes.
The suspect allegedly killed Williams at 8:20 p.m. Sunday, the night after the two teenagers were involved in a fist fight outside the Cordillo Courts apartment complex just a few blocks away, the Sheriff's Office says.
An autopsy of Williams was scheduled for Tuesday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
Tanner declined to answer additional questions, including giving the suspect's age, citing the ongoing investigation.
On Monday, he said he increased patrols in the areas of Coligny Plaza and Coligny Beach Park in response to the shooting.
The area is also covered by regular patrol deputies, beach and bar patrol, and special enforcement officers.
Reached Tuesday, two Hilton Head Island town councilmen said they agreed with Sheriff's Office response to Sunday's slaying by stepping up patrols in the busy Coligny area.
Councilman Lee Edwards said he didn't know whether the extra officers would be necessary in the long-term, but planned to discuss safety in the area with the sheriff.
Councilman Bill Harkins said he wanted to learn more about the shooting and what led to such a violent act.
"The history of safety at Coligny has been quite good, and the sheriff and his deputies do a really comprehensive job of policing the area," Harkins said. "Unfortunately, if some troubled person is intent on violence, we could have hundreds of policemen there, and it probably won't stop something like that."
Attempts to reach Mayor David Bennett and council members Marc Grant, Thomas Lennox, Kim Likins and John McCann were unsuccessful Tuesday.
Attempts to reach 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone was also unsuccessful.
Anyone with information about the shooting can call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC (274-6372) or text the word TIPSC with a message to CRIMES (274637).
Follow reporter Rebecca Lurye on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Rebecca.
Related content:
- Search continues for juvenile slaying suspect in Coligny Beach shooting, July 20, 2015
- Teen's slaying a first at Coligny Beach Park, July 20, 2015
- Coligny shooting victim remembered as talented, smiling, active in church, July 20, 2015
- Slaying shocks visitors, business owners near Coligny, July 20, 2015
This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 9:19 AM with the headline "Juvenile suspect in Coligny homicide turned in by family."