One dead in double shooting
Killing stuns community; officials seek public's help
PRINGLETOWN — Blasts of gunfire rang out Monday night in this quiet community off S.C. Highway 27 in a double shooting that left one man dead and another hospitalized.
The Post and Courier
It was Berkeley County's first homicide of 2009.
Late into the night, investigators were asking for the public's help to find a white, four-door Mercedes-Benz that was thought to be involved. The car has Georgia tags, tinted windows and five-star chrome rims and was occupied by as many as three people, said Dan Moon, public information officer for the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office.
"They should be considered armed and dangerous," he said.
Investigators think the shooting began about 6:40 p.m. at the intersection of Gaddist Road and Cliffords Way,
Moon said. He said one man was taken to a local hospital with a gunshot wound. His identity and condition were unknown.
The body of 22-year-old Jerrell Sanders was found in a ditch along Cliffords Way, Moon said.
Sanders' family learned of the shooting and gathered on the dark rural road, where investigators worked among a litter of curious kittens that followed them about and sniffed at evidence markers.
Sanders, a 2004 graduate of Cross High School, had lived in Cross along with his parents, grandparents, a brother and a large, extended family, his aunt, Ruby Major, said. She said she didn't know what might have led Sanders to Pringletown and, ultimately, his death.
"He's just a fun-loving kind of guy," Major said. "I'm shocked."
She said Sanders attended Jehovah AME Church in Cross.
Pringletown resident Denise Sheppard said the scene Monday night was not typical for the area.
"It's a quiet little town. It's very unexpected," she said. "We don't live downtown, where this stuff happens."
Reach Nadine Parks at 937-5573 or nparks@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
This article has 23 comment(s)
Posted by sig on January 13, 2009 at 5:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Another life lost for no reason. A lot was left out of the story and I am sure the family will say how good a boy he was. I hope they catch the killers and do the same to them.
What a waste. I just feel sorry for the families when this happens. The scumbags that killed him could care less how this affects anyone else.
Posted by islandbenzbc on January 13, 2009 at 7:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mercedes with tinted windows and spinners...Georgia tags...
two people shot...can you say DRUGS?
Posted by desspec on January 13, 2009 at 7:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The pattern continues ...
Posted by eyfigueroa on January 13, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Apparently crime isn't just an urban/suburban phenomenon.
It would be great if the Post & Courier would do folow-up articles on stories such as these.
This way we can see if the 'victim' is actually a victim at all.
Posted by Funky_Winkerbean on January 13, 2009 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I Call it Natural Selection... The War On Drugs you could say is working. Our Government just gets to sit back and watch, We are saving Beau coups of money on Ammunition and stake outs and police lives. Callous, *yes* but the truth is out there for everyone to see.
My Sympathy to the families it is so very tragic that anyone has to die so young.
Funky_Winkerbean
Posted by sandnateater on January 13, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Drugs kill so many innocent good boys, according to their relatives. I too would like to see P&C do follow-ups on some of these people.
Posted by Funky_Winkerbean on January 13, 2009 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think there should be a sin tax on everything from Cigarettes to alcohol, dough nuts to candy, fast foods to desserts, Bottle water to Soda and less not forget sex...
Wasn't it out forefathers that started the Revolutionary War over such taxes. Whatever happened to **GUMPTION**
All we do now is sit at our computers and vent in these blogs. I think it's time to show Big Brother we've grown up and we're not going to take his bullishness anymore. I don't smoke but I don't think it's not fair to tax the hell out of the ones that do. That's like taxing someone because they are fat or black or disabled. I think the politicians should be taxed more because they are the ones whose pockets the money ends up in anyway.
Venting (LOL)
Funky_Winkerbean
Posted by SCPDBLUE on January 13, 2009 at 2:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That makes three black males killed by other back males in 2009.HHHmmm With this shooting I see a reacuring pattern here, dont you? What do they have in common?
Posted by NakedYoga on January 13, 2009 at 3:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SCPDBLUE: The word "black" does not appear in the article, nor does the term "African-American." The recurring pattern seems to be ignorant readers like yourself.
Posted by SCPDBLUE on January 13, 2009 at 4:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NakedYoga, NO the words Black or African-American do not appear But Have you ever been to PRINGLETOWN? I have. The body of 22-year-old Jerrell Sanders was found in a ditch along Cliffords Way,
have you been in that area?I have. He was a 2004 graduate of Cross High School, had lived in Cross, Also known by LE as CRACK CROSS,Sanders attended Jehovah AME Church in Cross. Well NakedYoga? Ignorant No I dont think so,stating FACT yes I think so. It is you who are ignorant to the fact of what is going on around you but seem to be afraid to say what you feel because you dont want to be labeled unPC.
Posted by jammer on January 13, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
IgnorantNakedYoga check out street maps on that address and you'll see several black people hanging out outside, big rimed cars etc etc...
it's really obvious it's another black on black murder, how many is that this week? a more frightening question is how many is that across the country this week?
calling SCPD names isn't going to erase the obvious truth, as bad as you people want this to be a community problem for all it isn't...
the PC doesn't say the race because it doesn't want to just keep repeating itself article after article, to avoid the chance that it might look racially motivated
maybe obama n michelle will fix all this, change... changed back to the clintonite days along with all their old help
Posted by burton on January 13, 2009 at 7:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My fellow black men, please stop this self-hatred. You have ran the Klan out of business with this self-hatred! When is the last time a white person killed a black person in the Tri-County? Senseless!
Posted by NakedYoga on January 13, 2009 at 8:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SCPDBLUE & jammer: The two of you have proven what I'm saying. "[C]heck out street maps on that address and you'll see several black people hanging out outside, big rimed [sic] cars..." First of all, you can't see that from a "street map," unless you have a magic street map, which I'd love to see.
Secondly, the two of you are stating that these are "obvious facts." Really? Where are the facts? What you're making is called an "assumption." Is it likely, based on sheer statistical probability, that the people involved in the crime were black? Yes. However, just because something is "likely" doesn't make it so. You know no more about this than what you have read from the P&C.
Here's something else you failed to consider: you say that this area of Pringletown is home to many blacks. Fair enough. However, the car allegedly involved in the murder had Georgia tags. Therefore, you can't use the fact that the murder occurred in Pringletown in order to show that a black likely committed the murder.
Of course, we all know that whites would NEVER drive cars with big rims... right?
The point is that you do not have "facts"; you merely have "assumptions." What you say may be true, but do not pretend you know of facts when it is patently obvious that you do not.
Posted by scottmcx on January 13, 2009 at 9:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yoga, "You ain't from around here are you?" AME means AFRICAN Methodist, Episcopal. How many white "Georgia Crackers" Mercedes owners pimp their rides? Face the distinct possibility, the other half was black too.
Although your technically right, you're clearly wrong.
De-Nile is a river in Egypt. They're killing each other and it is simply a very sad fact.
Posted by moonpie on January 13, 2009 at 9:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
eyfigueroa, yeah Pringletown is known for being a drug infested area.
Sorry "Yoga" they're right about the black thing... The sorry P&C shouldn't be afraid to write that and also insert the deads criminal history if any of course. I would hate to say it but I bet there is here too.
Posted by OhGee on January 13, 2009 at 11:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just so happen to know the one young boys (the one that survived)family.Everyone is so very quick to jump ...when infact they have no clue as to what happened.Yes they were Black.....But the shooters were WHITE from what I was told by the boys uncle.So its not always black on black as everyone assumes. I have no idea what it was over and neither does anyone eles at this point..Except probally the ones involved.This family has lived there forever and the son was raised there...the daddy was a hard working man.So the least you could do is respect the families involved and pray they find the ones that had apart in this.TO Mack...Joe and the Sanders families I will be keeping you in my prayers......Also just FYI I am White
Posted by westashleyboi on January 14, 2009 at 12:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Quran Johnson:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fus...
Thomas Brown:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fus...
Check out page 2 of his pics where he has the obligatory pose with a gun which he aptly titled "REMEMBER GUNS DONT KILL PEOPLE"
Money, rap, guns, pit bulls, gang signs, its all there.
Apparently these scumbags are not black or white, they are self-described "Purple Flag Go Getters"
Posted by OhGee on January 14, 2009 at 1:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My bad The uncle must have gotten it mixed up and thought when they said white that they were talking about the people inside ...instead it was the car.I will be talking to him later and find out ....Sorry to all
Posted by jammer on January 14, 2009 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NakedIgorantDude go to google, click on maps, type in the address, then click on street view
it will actually show you people on the street at the time the last photo was taken clear enough to tell what they are wearing... you can see buildings, door knobs etc etc clearly
the least you can do is educate yourself some with a little research before you waste our time...
Posted by SCPDBLUE on January 14, 2009 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My fellow readers WAS I RIGHT? Any comment NakedYoga?
Posted by smalls4 on January 14, 2009 at 4:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To those offering their condolences, I thank you and I know that my family thanks you, as well. Let it be known that this was my second cousin. I am not a resident of South Carolina, so I had to search the internet, to locate this article and stumbled upon, these comments. Some are heart felt, others quite crass and ignorant-but everyone has a right to their opinions and free speech.
I am of the older generation. Jerrell's mother is my first cousin and I spent my childhood summers with her, my uncle, grandmother and a host of other family.
To you SCPDBLUE, you should know that we are an upstanding, GOD fearing family. My grandparents purchased land from slave owners over 100 years ago and that land was heired through the generations. This is why we live in Cross. We own acres of land and we own our homes.This is our deep seeded heritage. My Grandmother (GOD rest her soul) died several years ago and was a lifelong member of the church. She was buried there.
Our family history is long and deep rooted, in the south.
There was a comment posted on the topix site, by a young man who stated that the shooter was his brother and that people make mistakes and that the gunfire was meant for someone else. Why not initiate dialogue with him?
Jerrell graduated high school,had a job and was in college. He was a good boy. Let him rest in peace.
Posted by SomeTruthPlease on January 14, 2009 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
SCPDBlue-tonight, you have quite a "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" attitude...smacks of arrogance and sarcasm..did you have a bad day? Why come back to the forum and ask for everyone to validate you? Yes, other readers..SCPDBLUE nailed the crime of the day on the head...we should all pitch in and send him a cookie bouquet.
smalls4-My sincerest condolences. It does sound as though Jerrell Sanders was in a place that he should not have been. I did see the photos of the "thugs" that he was in the presence of, and was not impressed. My point is this-this "gangsta" mentality is the decay of many communities. I have seen MOTHERS bring their young sons into a pawn shop to look at their first "9". That appalls me to no end. The hip-hop culture is the most negative thing that we (of any color) are experiencing. When I see boys, obviously living in poverty (per guidelines) dripping in gold chains, carrying 9mm semi-automatics weapons, driving cars that many hard-working people cannot afford, I can only guess the source of the income. The motto for one of the boys? "Get Money". At any cost, is my guest. SCPDBlue-give it a rest for the night.
Posted by isntshelovely on February 1, 2009 at 9:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
smalls4- I am so sorry about your cousin. I graduated from Cross High with him and he truly was a nice kind hearted person. I was so sad to hear about him considering the fact that I had just talked to him. You and the family will continue to be in my prayers and yes I do believe Jerrell was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.