Hartsville, S.C.–Two people died and multiple others were injured during a shooting at a South Carolina bar early Sunday, according to officials.
Darlington County Coroner Todd Hardee confirmed the shooting happened at Mac’s Lounge in Hartsville, South Carolina. The coroner’s office also confirmed the identity of the two victims who lost their lives–Bryan Robinson, 29, and Dicaprio Collins, 21.
Mac’s Lounge is described as a music venue on its Facebook page, and patrons were enjoying music and dancing when the shots first broke out.
Authorities found one of the victims inside the bar, while the other was on the outdoor patio. Information about the other four victims who were injured during the shooting is pending.
We don’t yet know what caused the shooting to happen. The U.S. Marshals Service and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are currently helping the Hartsville police with the investigation.
Hartsville is located about 40 miles south of the North Carolina state line, and about 25 miles northwest of Florence, South Carolina.
A witness, Samuel Dupree, described the scene as “chaotic” in an interview with WMBF. Dupree was dancing on stage when he first heard gunfire.
“It sounded like a firecracker and people freaked out, so I was like okay,” said Dupree. “I look to my right and I see gunfire coming out of the gun, and it’s by the pool table by the patio door and I saw shots being fired, so I was like, this is real now.”
Dupree saw the crowd trampling a woman as they tried to escape. He stopped to ensure her safety.
“People were trying to get through that tiny door and they couldn’t. I helped someone up off the ground I saw get trampled,” he said. “I’m not going to let this person just die from getting run over.”
Another witness, Parker Hayes, was sitting at the bar when he heard the shots ring out. When he realized someone was shooting a gun, he hid under the bar.
“If I started running, I’m still open,” said Hayes. “If I sit underneath the wood, it’s kind of hard to get shot.”
He also said that the incident didn’t seem random. Earlier he noticed a fight around the back door that might have escalated.
