Walterboro police charge man in accidental shooting involving shotgun

Walterboro police arrested a 20-year-old man they say accidentally shot a man in the chest while showing him a shotgun.

Police charged William Thibodeau, 20, with discharging a firearm within city limits in connection with the incident.

The apparent accident happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. at an apartment on State Street, Colleton County Fire and Rescue Chief Barry McRoy said.

Walterboro police arrived at 200 State Street on Sunday and found Devany Beckett, 20, lying on his back and bleeding from a gunshot wound to his upper right chest, an incident report states.

Beckett’s girlfriend knelt beside him and used a makeshift dressing to control the bleeding, according to the report.

Thibodeau waited for police by his vehicle outside the home, according to the report. Beside him rested a black, Mossberg shotgun, police say.

Thibodeau told police Beckett was shot in a weapon handling accident.

Police ruled the shooting an accident, and Thibodeau was arrested on Sunday connection with the incident, town spokesperson Elizabeth Boineau.

Beckett was taken to the emergency room at Colleton County Medical Center and airlifted by helicopter to Medical University Hospital, McRoy said.