On April 5, a 39-year-old male was accidentally shot by a 63-year-old male in a parking lot on Ellis Avenue.

According to the incident report, the 63-year-old and 39-year-old males, along with a 57-year-old woman, met for lunch. The 57-year-old had been wanting to purchase a firearm and the 39-year-old was a licensed firearms dealer.

After lunch, the three individuals went to the victim's vehicle to look at the gun. Shortly after, the pistol went off, hitting the 39-year-old in his abdomen. An officer on the scene reported the victim was transported to a nearby hospital.

An officer then interviewed the witness and the 63-year-old to gather more information on the situation. The 63-year-old stated he did not know the pistol was loaded and could not remember if his finger was on the trigger, saying it “just went off.”

The witness also said there was no prior argument that took place.
An officer visited the 39-year-old at the hospital and reported the victim had two bandaids and said he was hit on his abdomen and the round passed through only fatty tissue. According to the victim, there was no internal damage. The victim did not press charges.

The 63-year-old was cited with a 520-weapon law violation, discharging a firearm in town limits and was released on the scene. The pistol was obtained and placed under evidence.

On March 7, 2024, Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill into law allowing individuals 18 years and older to legally possess a firearm openly and without a concealed weapons permit, also known as South Carolina’s Constitutional Carry Law.

There are no restrictions on guns inside vehicles in South Carolina and they can be stored anywhere inside the vehicle, openly or concealed. With this new law, officers cannot conduct a stop solely because a firearm is visible; there must be reasonable suspicions a crime has occurred. Additionally, those who carry no longer have to notify law enforcement officers that they are carrying a firearm.

However, firearms are still prohibited in several locations, including inside schools, churches, law enforcement facilities, courthouses, public buildings and any place clearly marked with a sign prohibiting the carrying of firearms.

John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reported that each year, thousands are injured by unintentional shootings.

In 2023, the Pew Research Center found that 463 individuals died from an accidental shooting.