Beaufort County deputies report 2 separate shootings in Bluffton, St. Helena Island
Police reported two overnight shootings on opposite sides of Beaufort County, one of which left a teenager with a non-fatal gunshot wound.
The first happened just before 11 p.m. Monday at the Vista View Apartments near Old Town Bluffton. No injuries were reported, but several vehicles and buildings appeared to have been damaged by gunfire, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 4 a.m. Tuesday, police received a report of an apparent drive-by shooting, targeting a house on St. Helena Island’s Shiney Road with four people inside. One of those occupants, a 19-year-old male, was taken to the hospital. He remained in stable condition as of Tuesday morning, police said.
The St. Helena shooting happened about two miles from Willie’s Bar and Grill, the site of a mass shooting that killed four people earlier this month. The two incidents did not appear to be linked, according to Lt. Daniel Allen of the BCSO, although police were pursuing “all possible avenues” in their investigation.
Both investigations into the overnight shootings remained active as of Tuesday. Police had not announced arrests in connection with either case.
Anyone with information about the Bluffton incident is encouraged to contact Sgt. Cushman at 843-255-3722. Information about the St. Helena case can be directed to Cpl. Petruzzi at 843-255-3267. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County website, the P3 Tips mobile app or by calling 844-847-7238 (844-TIPS-BFT).
