Place an Ad | Subscribe | Advertise With Us

Gang-related fight breaks out in Florence Wal-Mart

From staff reports
Published: May 11, 2008

A gang-related fight Friday night at the Super Wal-Mart on South Irby Street in Florence ended with one adult and one juvenile being arrested.
According to Lt. Brett Camp with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, a group of 30-40 individuals were involved in an altercation that began inside the store and overflowed into the parking lot.
There were initial calls of shots fired, but Camp said that was not confirmed.
“We never confirmed shots fired,” he said. “If there were shots fired, they were in the air. No one was shot at.”
Camp said because of the way the area is zoned, both the sheriff’s office and the Florence City Police Department had to respond to the incident.
The sheriff’s office responded because the Wal-Mart parking lot is zoned in the county, and the actual building itself is zoned in the city.
The names of the individuals that the police department arrested couldn’t be confirmed by press time Sunday.

Reader Reactions

Posted by ( DeeDee ) on May 23, 2008 at 2:23 pm

Needless to say, every community has problems, whether it’s activities such as the aforementioned, sex offenders, thieves, or just plain old “no gooders” in the area, you will always run into some one not doing what they’re supposed to so you really can’t avoid the problems. Believe it or not Florence really isn’t a bad city when it comes to public acts of violence. This the first of this nature, (and I may be wrong), in many years. If a fight at Walmart scares you then this is exactly where you need to be because I do believe that it is much worse everywhere else, no offense. But have you ever considered New York City, Jersey, Georgia? If not Don’t because I doubt you could survive it, for the viewer that is retiring here, please don’t let something like this change your mind of the whole city. We have a good law enforcement division, I trust that the situation is handled and under control. But as for the economy that’s what’s to blame here. Something has to change and fast or there will be more of these outrageous acts, with fuel prices climbing by the day and food prices reaching inflation highs. Who knows what to expect next? Many of these people are just trying to feed their families and reacting to the stress of not being able to. It’s hard now speaking from the middle class perspective. And if things are getting tight for us, I can only imagine how things are for the lower class and folks that are living paycheck to paycheck. I pray for you all myself included. That’s all we as a society can do now because God is the only one who can hold us up and keep us going in times such as these.

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( Howard ) on May 23, 2008 at 11:50 am

This is exactly why I tell my wife not to go to walmart alone and the only time we go is early morning. I just moved from Florence to Indianapolis and there is more crime in the Pee Dee region than in this large city.

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( kim29541 ) on May 21, 2008 at 7:28 am

thankyou government for taking disapline from the parent Godly morals and guidance from our schools and supporting immoral family units that has brought us to this

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( Annie ) on May 19, 2008 at 5:50 pm

PS....Streatrufus.....God bless your Mother!!!

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( Annie ) on May 19, 2008 at 5:47 pm

Amen, steatrufus, we took God OUT of everything we possibly could and this is the result.

Unfortunately, I believe that given the percentile of youths (gang related) and homes they came from, the Majority aren’t going to be reading these comments, much less doing anything about it. There still remains that percentile that come from good homes and just “want to fit in” somewhere, those we may be able to save.

My own kids did there share of experimentation in “other” than the expected or accepted by me (a single mom), but even then they never did anyone harm other than themselves. I’ve been fortunate, for they have come back to their senses, however, we are dealing with harsh times, different from what any of us have seen or will see. I would hate to have to raise my children in todays world....and that my friend is a SHAME.....for having children should be a blessed event where you should not have to worry about “what the world has in store for them”.

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( streatrufus ) on May 19, 2008 at 3:46 pm

I was born and raised in the Pee dee area, Hartsville to be exact. The Carolinas are beautiful, but like the rest of the world and country are experiencing moral decline. You can’t prevent children getting involved in Gangs, when they have a single mother at home, on welfare and 2-3 half-siblings. Their “parent” can’t keep up with themselves, much less monitor the activity of a pre-teen to teen. Consequently, these young people are looking for somewhere to fit in, and make some money, and a gang provides both. We collectively need to return to Bible based teaching for our children, the further we desire to shut God out, and call “any and everything right”, the more get get what we ask for. Gang violence, drug proliferation, sexual promiscuity, pornography, pedophilia and every daggum thing else. We must have relationship with the living God!And pass that legacy on to our children as my mother did with me. Am I perfect? Hecks no! but I do love the Lord, my wife and children, and it wasn’t long ago that I was one of these young people living in and around the Pee Dee trying to fit-in. And many times, when tepted to get involved with wrongdoing, it was the power of the Lord, through the prayers of my mother that kept me out of trouble, and that’s real!

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( demoman ) on May 19, 2008 at 2:02 am

the reason kids are doing this is because parents are not teaching there kids. wake the hell up.stop crying and pointing fingers. this is what happens when you give your kids a time out instead of a good spanking. it worked for many years and now people think it needs to be changed. if it aint broke, dont fix it.

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( Annie ) on May 18, 2008 at 9:38 pm

As for the “after” mentioned comments, we do have a good city to retire in. We truly do. Gangs have been going on up North and other places for years before they arrived here. Nonetheless, I am willing to get out and work with these young people, I am willing to have places to go for these young people. But, a LOT of this behavior or I should say the halt of this behavior starts in the home.....is that not true? or do I live with blinders on:? WE, WHO HAVE CHILDREN, need to be concerned and aware of who and when and where our kids ARE.....

I Realize that sometimes you can do ALL you can do and you still end up with a bad seed. BUT, the world today is rampant with parents doing drugs, having kids they KNOW they cannot care for (before they even give birth) and parents who do not keep God in the home.

I’m sorry if I step on anyones toes, I believe I covered all bases, so if you did all you could do, then it is NOT your fault. If you feel a twinge of animosity, then there must be a problem. Plain and simple........

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( Yikes! Just Moved Here ) on May 17, 2008 at 10:05 pm

Another thing, I was planning on hosting our family reunion in Florence, too dangerous to even consider it, stop the violence and do something positive. Shame on all involved.

Report Inappropriate Comment

Posted by ( Yikes! Just Moved Here ) on May 17, 2008 at 10:03 pm

Wow! I am beginning to believe i have made the worst mistake of my life choosing Florence as the place to retire. This is just horrible for the whole community. There should be measures taken so something of this magnitude never happens again. Shame on you whoever was part of this blight on the community. If you want to fight join the armed services and go to Iraq, and help bring our guys home. Shame on everyone involved. What a great welcome to the city of Florence

Report Inappropriate Comment