Crime & Public Safety

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.

A section north of Alston Park to the S.C. 170 and S.C. 46 traffic circle is blocked off while police work the scene of a shooting Sunday in Bluffton.
A section north of Alston Park to the S.C. 170 and S.C. 46 traffic circle is blocked off while police work the scene of a shooting Sunday in Bluffton. Richard Facchiano

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.

When we publish mugshots

The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette publishes police booking photos, or mugshots, in the following instances:

  • In situations where a public figure or someone in a position of public trust is arrested
  • In cases where there is an immediate and widespread threat to public safety
  • In cases where the arrested person is accused of a crime reporters have evidence to believe involved numerous, unknown victims

Reporters will avoid using mugshots as lead images for online articles in order to limit their circulation on social media, except in cases where the public is served by the immediate identification of the accused. Reporters and editors may use discretion in situations that don’t meet the criteria outlined in this policy but still present a compelling reason to publish a mugshot.

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Sofia Sanchez
The Island Packet
Sofia Sanchez is a breaking news reporter at The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. She reports on crime and developing stories in Beaufort and its surrounding areas. Sofia is a Cuban-American reporter from Florida and graduated from Florida International University in 2020.
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