A mass shooting at a crowded bar in the southern US state of South Carolina left four people dead and at least 20 injured, officials said.
Hundreds of people had gathered at a popular St. Helena bar early Sunday morning when the shooting began, causing numerous victims and witnesses to flee to nearby businesses for shelter, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.
Four people were pronounced dead at the bar and at least 20 were injured, including four who were sent to local hospitals in critical condition, the sheriff's office said.
The incident remains under investigation and the sheriff's office is looking for possible suspects, the release said.
When police and first responders arrived, they found several people suffering from gunshot wounds, the sheriff's office said in a statement.
It is unclear whether the shooting was random or targeted, and a sheriff's office spokesman declined to provide more details.
Willie's Bar and Grill, where the shooting took place, offers Gullah-inspired cuisine and says on its website that it aims to spread the “soulful spirit of Gullah Geechee culture.” The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans who were enslaved on plantations along the southeastern coast of the United States, including in South Carolina.
“Absolutely heartbroken to learn of the devastating shooting in Beaufort County,” South Carolina Republican Party spokeswoman Nancy Mace wrote on the X website.
“We pray for the victims, their families and everyone affected by this horrific act of violence.”
Willie's did not immediately respond to the BBC's request for comment.
