UPDATE: Police charge 2 men in Bluffton with shooting into car that had a child in backseat
Police have charged two Bluffton men with multiple felonies following a shooting Sunday afternoon in which they allegedly shot at another car that had a child in the backseat, according to the Bluffton Police Department.
Memphis Daniels, 20, of Bluffton, has been charged with attempted murder, discharging a firearm into a vehicle, discharging a firearm within town limits, possession of a weapon in the commission of a violent crime and unlawful neglect of a child or helpless person, jail records show.
Jh’leel Hoover, 19, of Bluffton, also faces attempted murder and possession of a weapon in the commission of a violent crime charges.
Three people went to a local medical center with non-life-threatening injuries following the shooting, according to a department Facebook post Monday morning. The child was not hurt.
Officers were called out around 2:30 p.m. to New Riverside Road after getting a call about shots fired nearby. Residents at the Landings at New Riverside Drive, a gated community, reported via the NextDoor neighborhood app that they heard gunshots while they were at the community pool, which is near the road.
Police said Daniels and Hoover shot at a car while a minor was in the backseat, according to Sgt. Bonifacio Perez, a spokesperson for the Bluffton Police Department.
When officers got there, they found one of the cars involved in the shooting. The other car, driven by Daniels and Hoover, was abandoned close to New Riverside Drive. Both Hoover and Daniels were found nearby and taken into custody for questioning before being charged.
As of Monday morning, the motive for the shooting is still under investigation. Perez could not say how many shots had been fired, whether it was Daniels and Hoover who began shooting first, or how many people were in the other car at the time of the shooting.
The investigation is ongoing.
Richard Facchiano, a resident who lives nearby, said Sunday he heard the aftermath of the shooting and was able to take photos of one of the cars believed to be involved. The car, he said, had anywhere from eight to 10 bullet holes.
Both Daniels and Hoover remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting may call Detective D. Marciano with the Bluffton Police Department at 843-706-4532.