15-year-old killed in shooting at Midlands business identified by SC coroner

A 15-year-old was killed Sunday in a shooting at a Midlands business, Orangeburg County officials said.

Denmark, South Carolina resident Dantavious Dowling died at an area hospital, the Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office said Monday, after initially reporting the teen died at the scene.

The shooting happened at the Southern Lodge Hotel, according to the coroner’s office. That’s on U.S. 601/St. Matthews Road in an area of Orangeburg densely packed with hotels and restaurants, near Exit 145 on Interstate 26.

At about noon, deputies responded to reports of a shooting at the hotel, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies found Dowling had been shot, according to the sheriff’s office.

No other injuries were reported.

There was no word on a shooter, or shooters, or any motive for the gunfire. Information about why Dowling was at the hotel was not available.

No arrests have been reported by the sheriff’s office, which is investigating the shooting.

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday, according to the coroner’s office.

“This investigation is still early yet and we’re in the beginning stages to sort out what happened,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a release. “We’re still in the process of talking with anyone who may have information.”

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 803-534-3550, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.