Five men arrested, sixth sought in Darlington County shooting

By Jackie Torok

Published: May 29, 2008

Five men have been arrested and a sixth is being sought in connection with a Wednesday afternoon shooting that might be gang-related, according to a Darlington County Sheriff’s Office press release issued Thursday morning.

Deputies were dispatched about 3 p.m. to a shooting in progress on Mary’s Drive near Darlington, where they found two suspects fighting in the yard. After the two men were separated, one was taken to an area hospital for the treatment of a human bite, according to the release.

The fight was prompted when some people in a vehicle approached and fired shots at someone who was at one of the nearby mobile homes. The apparent target fired back, then ran into a mobile home, where he was followed by the people from the vehicle, according to the release. One of those people kicked in the door, and the man they were pursuing ran out into a nearby wooded area. He returned to the scene when he heard sirens and got into a fight with one of the people in the area.

The shots fired struck two mobile homes and penetrated the walls inside. Children were inside one of the homes at the time, according to the release.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the incident is gang-related, according to the release.

Christopher Leroy Jackson, 24, of 222 Plum St., Darlington, is charged with assault and battery with intent to kill in connection with the shooting.

Four men charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature in connection with the shooting are Antron Jackson, 22, 434 Mary Drive, Darlington; Anthony B. Thomas, 27, of 124 E. Shenandoah Lane, Florence; Laquincy Emmanuel Williams, 22, of 627 First St., Darlington; and Raymond Seanonthy Wilson, 28, of 1820 Westlender Ave., Mesa, Ariz.

All five suspects remained in custody at the Darlington County Detention Center at press time Thursday awaiting bond hearings.

A sixth suspect who fled the scene before deputies arrived is being sought in connection with the shooting, according to the release. The investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (843) 398-4501 or Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at (843) 667-TIPS (8477) or (866) 369-TIPS (8477). Callers need not reveal their identities.

This is not believed to be related to a fight that happened Thursday in the same area and led to two arrests, Darlington County Chief Deputy Sheriff Tom Gainey said.

In that incident, deputies were called again to a fight near mobile homes along Mary’s Drive between 11 a.m. and noon, Gainey said.

When they arrived, the suspects fled. An EMS crew took the victim to an area hospital, where he was treated and released, according to a press release issued Thursday afternoon by the sheriff’s office.

One of the sheriff’s office’s K9 units was used to track the suspects, and two of them were found hiding in a residence, according to the release.

Edward Agbo, 29, of Limit Street in Darlington is charged with second-degree lynching and Elijah Nathaniel Ross, 20, of Rose Community Road in Darlington is charged with trespassing in connection with this incident, according to the release.

The investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected, Gainey said.