St. Helena man out on bond for murder brought gun to Beaufort High School, police say
Beaufort High School was placed on lockdown Tuesday morning after a St. Helena man out on bond on murder charges brought a gun to the school, according to a Beaufort Police Department statement released late Tuesday afternoon.
The man, De-Quarious Major, 22, “was out of jail on bond for murder and three counts of attempted murder” stemming from a 2019 gas station shooting, according to police. He was under house arrest and was wearing a GPS ankle monitor on Tuesday.
Around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Major got into a fight with a relative in front of his vehicle in the Beaufort High School parking lot. A bystander intervened, saw a handgun in the vehicle and “retrieved it to keep it from being used,” the release said.
Beaufort High’s school resource officer, Eric Hayes, arrived “and attempted to detain Major,” the release said.
“Major became agitated and refused to comply with lawful directions to submit to being detained, at which time Officer Hayes drew his Taser and ordered Major to get on the ground. Major complied and was taken into custody without further incident when additional officers arrived.”
Major was arrested and charged Tuesday with disturbing schools, possession of a firearm on school property and interfering with an officer. He was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center, where he awaits a bond hearing.
A 2019 Lady’s Island shooting
Major was one of three men arrested and charged in the 2019 shooting that killed 20-year-old Clarence Mitchell III of St. Helena Island and left another man injured.
In 2020, his first bond was revoked. Then his bond was re-instated, according to court documents.
He was placed under house arrest under the conditions that he live with family, see his lawyer and attend church with his mother.
School safety
According to the S.C. Department of Education’s annual report card, Beaufort County School District recorded one incident of possession of a firearm or explosive on campus during the 2020-21 school year.
That number is already on the rise — at least two students brought firearms to district schools in September.
On Sept. 10, Robert Smalls International Academy principal Tarrance Bradley found an unloaded airsoft pistol in the backpack of a sixth grade student. According to a report from Beaufort County Sheriff’s office, the student told police “he had no intention of harming anyone and only wanted to impress a girl he liked along with his friends.”
The student, whose name is not public because he is a minor, was released to his grandmother and petitioned to Family Court for bringing the weapon to campus.
On Sept. 13, Beaufort Elementary School staff found a magazine loaded with ammunition and a black handgun in a student’s backpack.
He allegedly told police he brought the weapon for “self-defense,” according to a report from the Beaufort Police Department. The student was released to his mother and petitioned to Family Court.
Island Packet reporter Jake Shore contributed reporting.
This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 11:48 AM.