Suspect arrested after fatal shooting at Beaufort-area ‘Sunday Funday’ party
A suspect turned himself in to Beaufort County police after a fatal shooting at a “Sunday Funday” gathering in the Sheldon area.
Unique Stinson Ford, 32, of Sheldon, was charged Monday night with murder, aggravated breach of peace and a felony gun possession offense, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Gunfire erupted at the party around 8 p.m. Sunday, killing 33-year-old Rashaun Snell of Yemassee. He was pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound shortly after, according to Chief Deputy Coroner Shane Bowers.
It happened inside a home near the northernmost point of Kelly Road, located off U.S. 17/21 (Trask Parkway) about 5 miles southeast of downtown Yemassee.
Attendees told police they heard six to eight shots ring out inside the residence before the gunman fled to a green sedan. He crashed the car in a neighboring yard and ran away with what looked like a pistol in his right hand, according to witness statements documented in a police report.
Multiple witnesses said they saw the suspect enter the dwelling to get a cigarette before “exchanging words” with Snell. The fatal gunshots were heard shortly after, prompting many attendees to quickly drop to the floor.
Police arrived just before 8 p.m. Sunday to find a “very large crowd of people” near the street, some of whom “directed deputies to a building” the incident report says. Inside, they found Snell’s body.
Several witnesses at the scene identified Ford as the suspect in police interviews, adding that he did not typically attend events of that type.
In Beaufort County, Ford previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor vandalism offense in 2019 and illegally discharging firearms within town limits in 2024. He did not receive prison time.
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, Ford remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center. Because he is charged with an offense punishable by life in prison, his bond would need to be set by a Circuit Court judge.
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact lead investigator Sgt. Mabrena Hicks at 843-255-3441. Tips can be made anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County at 1-844-TIPSBFT (1-844-847-7238), through the organization’s website or via the P3 Tips app.
This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 11:23 AM.
