Two gun-related deaths in a month. Conway, SC police investigate if homicides are linked.
Conway has seen two shooting deaths in the city within a month.
One of those was of a high school student who was gunned down at a bus stop earlier this month.
Conway Police Chief Dale Long conducted a press conference Feb. 9 to provide an update on the shooting deaths of 18-year-old Ja’Mir Johnson and Ty-Ree Graham, 25.
While Long identified the deaths as two separate homicides, he did say that police were looking into information that the shootings may be linked. However, Long said there have been no witnesses or evidence to definitively link the two.
“Based on what we know, we believe that these were isolated incidents and that our community is safe,” Long said. “We are working because it is a tragic offense that has occurred when we have the loss of life especially so young people that are involved with it.”
It is the lack of witnesses or information from the public about either shooting that has police frustrated.
Long cited the recent release of a photo of the vehicle that might be involved in the death of Johnson. However, he said police had not received a single call.
Conway police described the vehicle as being a dark-colored Hyundai Elantra. Police had asked for help in identifying the vehicle and any person involved with it.
“It is not possible that somebody in this community does not know who that car belongs to or at least knows someone who has a car similar enough to it,” Long said.
Johnson, a Carolina Forest High School student, was shot Feb. 1 about 7:30 a.m. near a bus stop at Rufus Street and Eighth Avenue in Conway. He died on the scene, according to the Horry County Coroner’s Office.
Graham died after being shot on Hemingway Street on Jan. 10. Graham received multiple gunshot wounds, police said. There was another person in the vehicle with Graham, but that person has not offered information on what happened that night, Long said.
There have been no arrests in either shooting.
Long said that police have been receiving calls about possible retaliation for the shootings and have followed up on those tips. Police have increased patrols in the areas and have stepped up their presence in the schools, he said. School resource officers have been receiving information from students.
He did not know if the shootings were drug or gang-related but that police were investigating.
In Johnson’s death, a 30-second video from a neighbor’s home security camera reveals the sound of two sets of between six to 10 shots, followed by the squealing of tires. A vehicle can then be seen speeding past the home. The video was posted on WPDE’s Facebook.
Long said it was not a drive-by shooting, but targeted as no one else was injured, although several other students were gathered at the bus stop at the time.
He said police found about 14 shell casings on the street on Rufus Street.
Horry County Schools said in a press release that many students from Carolina Forest High School and Black Water Middle School witnessed the shooting at the bus stop. Police met with the students who witnessed “this tragic incident,” the release said.
Neighbors have said that many children gather at the bus stop each morning to await their school bus.
Police are asking those in the area to review any camera footage outside of their home or businesses and call police at 843-248-1790 or go to crimetips@cityofconway.com if they have information. Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information that will help solve the case.
“I guess there’s just a general apathy towards getting involved and people just don’t want to assist or help out,” Long. “I need them to call... We cannot be every place all the time. We depend on other people who live in these communities and neighborhoods to assist us. We need them to come forward to tell us what happened.”
