Update: 2 killed in Hardeeville shooting Tuesday afternoon; suspect in police custody
Police have arrested a New Yorker after one man and one woman were shot to death Tuesday afternoon at an apartment complex in southeast Hardeeville. The two deceased victims had not been named as of Tuesday evening.
Charles Saunders was charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime and two counts of murder following a multi-hour manhunt, according to the Hardeeville Police Department. The update sent by police did not include his age, and it was unknown whether the suspect lives in the area of Jasper County.
Gunfire rang out around 12:35 p.m. Tuesday at the Walsh Drive Apartments, a public housing complex located off S.C. 46 (Main Street). Officers arrived two minutes later to find one woman dead inside an apartment and a man with multiple gunshot wounds. The male victim was rushed to Coastal Carolina Hospital, where he later died.
Investigators say Saunders initially fled the scene but was later apprehended in Ridgeland, about 15 miles away. Jasper County deputies assisted in the arrest.
The Hardeeville Police Department requested SLED’s assistance with the investigation, according to an update sent later Tuesday afternoon.
Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to call the Hardeeville Police Department at 843-784-2233.
