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Shooting at Rast Street club injures 3 KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY konstantin@theitem.com Police are looking for a suspect involved in a shooting outside of a local nightclub early Saturday morning that resulted in three people being injured. James Caleb Williams, 17, of 2436 U.S. 441, is wanted for attempted murder, violation of the S.C. gun law, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and minor in possession of a handgun. Another suspect, Malik Raekwon Myers, 17, of 103 McCutcheon St.,
Mayesville, who was injured in the shooting, is in custody at Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. Myers has been charged with attempted WILLIAMS murder, violation of the S.C. gun law, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and minor in possession of a handgun. An investigation is continuing and more arrests are possible, said Sumter Police Department spokesperson
Tonyia McGirt. The shooting happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. outside of Club Crème, 330 Rast St., where a birthday party for a teenager was being held, according to police reports. Sumter Police Department detectives said the shooting occurred as a result of a dispute between acquaintances. A 15-year-old girl was found in the club’s parking lot with a gunshot wound to her leg. Officers also responded to Tuomey Regional Medical
Center where Myers and an 18-yearold man were being treated for their injuries. None of the injuries reported are considered life-threatening. Anyone with information regarding the incident and Williams’ whereabouts is asked to call the Sumter Police Department at (803) 436-2700. Information can also be given anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (803) 436-2718 or 1-888-CRIME-SC. A cash reward may be available for information leading to an arrest.
BLACK COWBOY FESTIVAL
Attendees share opinion on Baltimore RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com People attending Saturday’s Black Cowboy Festival said they just want to see equal justice applied to law enforcement personnel when it comes to white officers attacking black people. The Sumter Item asked people at the festival their opinion on the six Baltimore officers charged on Friday with assaulting and killing Freddie Gray. Gray, a 25-year old black man, was stopped by Baltimore Police on April 19 because he reportedly locked eyes with a police officer and ran. He had committed no crime. Police caught him, pinned him down, handcuffed him and dragged him to a transport van. Officers failed to strap him down with a seatbelt and reportedly ignored his pleas for medical attention although the van stopped several times. An autopsy report released Thursday revealed that he had a broken neck. He died while in police custody. After Gray’s memorial service on Monday, riots occurred in West Baltimore. On Friday, Baltimore’s top prosecuting attorney, Marilyn Mosey, charged six police officers with felonies ranging from assault to murder.
SEE FESTIVAL, PAGE A8
PHOTOS BY RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM
Danny Wilson, above, from Prosperity show’s off his Paso Fino breed on Saturday during the grand entrance, in which all riders in the Black Cowboy Festival circle the arena. Edmond and Brenda Wright, right, taste a free sample of watermelon from one of the booths at the Black Cowboy Festival on Saturday. Another cowboy, far right, circles the arena at the start of Saturday’s Black Cowboy Festival.
Family Unit asks city to verify properties marked for demolition ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com A local nonprofit organization has expressed concerns about the use of $3.4 million that have been awarded to the City of Sumter by the South Carolina Housing Authority to purchase and demolish blighted property. The Housing Authority provided the award through its Neighborhood Initiative Program which focuses on stabilizing property values and reducing foreclosures through the removal of substandard residential
property from communities. Brenda Williams, a member of Family Unit, Inc., a local nonprofit organization founded in 2010 to improve the conditions of those living in low income areas in Sumter, sent letters to Mayor Joe McElveen, Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments and The Sumter Item on behalf of the organization asking which houses would be chosen for demolition and if that information would be made available to the public. Sumter City and County Planning Director George McGregor said the city would focus on the blighted properties
DEATHS, A11
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that were identified in the 2014 abandoned house survey which can be found online. He said the city would most likely focus on identifying local owners through the Sumter County Tax Geographic Information System because it would be difficult to track down out-oftown owners. “We want to make this as easy as possible,” said McGregor. He said information about property locations, purchases and demolition costs would be available to the public. He said the city is required to keep a record of acquired and demolished properties as part of the agreement to
Jannie Mae Wells Wilson Georgia Mae Wilkie Mahar William Carl Anderson Jr. Evelyn Hughes Warrick Legare Zelmarine K. Arrington
Pauline Beard Paulette Adams Robertson Levern Reed Thomas Edward Early Louise Eleanor Heiser Gover
receive the award. Williams said Family Unit owns a house on Council Street that provides free housing for people in need and she would like to know if the award could be used to provide affordable housing in low income areas. “What she wants done, we can’t do,” said McElveen. He said he knows of Family Unit and appreciates what it does for people in the city but the NIP award can only be used to remove blight. He said he likes
SEE BLIGHT, PAGE A8
WEATHER, A12
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Sunny and warm today with very slight chance of rain. Clear and cool tonight with full moon. HIGH 82, LOW 56
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