From fun to chaos, mass shooting erupts outside of St. Helena Island bar

ST. HELENA ISLAND, S.C. () — It started as a local high school alumni reunion event at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, but soon, a fun time would erupt into a mass of shots ringing through the air, causing panic and chaos and lives to be taken.

“It was like a rapid fire. Rapid fire. Like bow bow bow bow bow,” said an employee of Willie’s Bar and Grill, who wishes to remain anonymous.

Employees replayed the terrifying events that transpired last night to .

Once shots rang out, employees said it became “total chaos”.

“You know, people were running into the kitchen. They were hollering ‘they shooting’. I said where, and they said outside. So, everybody ran to the back door.  Everybody was panicking. They didn’t know what to do,” the employee said.

Shots were fired outside around 1 a.m. on Sunday, where around 100 people gathered for a Battery Creek High School alumni event.

The Beaufort County School District said the event was not sanctioned nor organized by Battery Creek High School Administration or the Beaufort County School District.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the mass shooting took 4 lives and injured over 20, with some still in critical condition.

“This could be one of the darkest days on St. Helena, you know, and this happened on my front porch,” said owner of the Bar and Grill, Willie Turral.

Turral and employees were back at the venue just hours after police had cleared the scene, cleaning up the chaos left behind.

Turral said he is still trying to process the devastation.

“Any time you have something like this transpire, you know, your heart goes out because somebody’s son, somebody’s daughter didn’t come home,” said Turral as he choked up with emotion. “Obviously, as owner, you know, you want to do the best you can to make sure everybody goes home safe.  And it’s things like this that, you know, it’s not just a cut and dry situation. The problem is much deeper rooted.”

When asked what happened that lead to the shooting, Turral, employees nor anyone in the area could give an answer.  

They said whatever it was, it never needed to end how it did.

“What they got to learn is it’s no value in hurting other people. If you got a problem, you know, don’t take it out on other people, you know, deal with it somewhere else.  Don’t bring it here,” said an employee.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the shooting. They ask if you have any information, to call Beaufort County CRIMESTOPPERS.