Suspect Charged with 4 Counts of Murder in South Carolina Bar Shooting

On October 12, 2025, a mass shooting occurred at Willie's Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, leaving 4 people dead and 15 injured. The incident took place during a 25th high school reunion party attended by around 350 people.

Authorities have now charged 27-year-old Anferny Freeman with 4 counts of murder in connection with the shooting. Freeman was already in jail on a charge of possessing a machine gun when investigators served him with the new arrest warrants on November 10, 2025.

According to Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner, Freeman and another man who was killed in the shooting had an "encounter that was not very friendly" and started shooting at each other. Freeman was also shot in the stomach during the incident and was driven to the hospital.

Investigators have determined that a third person was also shooting at the scene, based on evidence such as bullets, shell casings, videos, and witness interviews. The sheriff expects more arrests to be made as the investigation continues.

The shooting occurred near last call at the bar, which describes itself as a "community pillar committed to giving back, especially to our youth." The Gullah community on St. Helena Island, which traces its ancestry to enslaved West Africans, has been deeply impacted by the tragedy.