A mass shooting at a crowded bar on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, early Sunday morning left four people dead and 16 injured, transforming what had been described as a fantastic alumni celebration into chaos. The violence erupted at Willie’s Bar and Grill just before 1 a.m. on October 12, 2025, when hundreds of people were attending a Battery Creek High School reunion event.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office identified the victims as 22-year-old Kashawn Glaze of Beaufort, 33-year-old Chiraad Smalls of Beaufort, 22-year-old A’shan’tek Milledge of Burton, and 54-year-old Amos Gary of St. Helena Island. All four victims died from gunshot wounds and were found dead at the scene outside the establishment.
Sheriff P.J. Tanner revealed Wednesday that the shooting stemmed from an ongoing dispute between two or three individuals. “They had an ongoing feud with each other,” Tanner explained during a press briefing. “They resorted to pulling guns.” The sheriff indicated that as many as 700 people were present when the conflict escalated into gunfire.
Bar owner Willie Turral described hearing what sounded like machine gun fire from inside his establishment. He told local media that the evening had been everything one would want from an alumni party, with people smiling, dancing and having a fantastic time. Turral had even gathered his staff for a celebratory toast just before the shooting occurred, marking what had been a successful night.
When deputies arrived, they encountered a large crowd with several people suffering from gunshot wounds. Multiple victims and witnesses fled to nearby businesses and properties seeking shelter from the gunfire. Among the deceased was one of the bar’s security officers, who Turral knew personally as the son of his father’s best friend.
Of the 16 injured victims, four were initially listed in critical condition at area hospitals. Some victims were transported by ambulance, while others arrived at emergency rooms independently. The exact circumstances behind the shooting remain under investigation, with authorities working to determine whether the violence was random or targeted.
Sheriff Tanner indicated that investigators have a fairly good idea who is responsible for the shooting but have not made arrests as they await forensic results on guns, bullets and shell casings collected at the scene. The sheriff expressed concern about what he called a growing problem in Beaufort County involving machine guns, noting that his office has made 24 arrests for possession of machine guns in the past year and a half, with only six suspects remaining in jail while 18 others were released on bond.
The shooting occurred on St. Helena Island, located about 40 miles north of Hilton Head Island and known as the epicenter of Gullah Geechee culture. The community consists of descendants of Africans who were enslaved on plantations along the southeastern coast. Willie’s Bar and Grill describes itself as serving authentic Gullah cuisine and aims to spread the heartwarming spirit of the Gullah Geechee culture.
Several South Carolina politicians responded to the shooting. Representative Nancy Mace expressed being completely heartbroken by the devastating shooting in Beaufort County, offering prayers for victims, families and everyone impacted by the violence. Senator Tim Scott described the news as heartbreaking and indicated that all South Carolinians would be holding those affected close in their hearts.
The investigation involves multiple agencies, with the State Law Enforcement Division and FBI assisting local authorities. Sheriff Tanner blamed gangs and social media for fueling disputes that lead to gun violence in Beaufort County. Community members who attended Wednesday’s briefing expressed concerns about growing gang violence on the island and rapid development taking over the area.
This incident marks the second shooting at this location in recent years. In November 2022, when the establishment was called Island Grill, two people were wounded in a parking lot shooting around closing time. The current shooting occurred near the Penn Center, one of the first schools established for freed slaves in the South.
Cook Henry Wright, who was present during the shooting, described the scene as chaotic and reported hearing numerous shots fired. He observed patrons fleeing through the establishment’s back door in panic after the gunfire began. One witness described hearing automatic gunfire that sounded like a machine gun.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office requested patience from the community as the investigation continues and asked anyone with information to contact authorities. The shooting has left the close-knit Gullah Geechee community stunned, with vigils held outside Willie’s Bar and Grill to honor the victims.
