An alumni reunion for Battery Creek High School turned tragic early Sunday morning, October 12, 2025, when a mass shooting at a packed bar on St. Helena Island, South Carolina resulted in four deaths and 15 injuries. This was confirmed by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
The Battery Creek High School Alumni Association later clarified that it did not organize the event at Willie’s Bar and Grill. The official alumni association had hosted a separate tailgating event in Yemassee earlier that evening which ended at 7 p.m., and some attendees from that event later went to the bar.
The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as Kashawn Glaze, 22, and Chiraad Smalls, 33, of Beaufort; A’shan’tek Milledge, 22, of Burton; and Amos Gary, 54, of St. Helena Island. All four victims died from gunshot wounds and were discovered at the scene.
Of the 15 injured, four were initially in critical condition and were rushed to local hospitals. According to the sheriff’s office, other wounded individuals arrived at emergency departments independently. Many victims and witnesses took refuge in nearby businesses to escape the gunfire.
Willie Turral, the bar’s owner, described the scene to local media outlets, explaining that the joyous reunion swiftly descended into chaos. He reported hearing what sounded like automatic weapons fire from inside the bar and witnessing people rushing in as individuals fell outside the premises.
Turral revealed that among the deceased was a security officer, the son of his father’s good friend. He had employed professional security personnel for the event and mentioned that he had conversed with the victim the evening before the shooting.
On Wednesday, October 15, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner released further details regarding the investigation, stating that a continuing disagreement between two or three individuals instigated the violence. He mentioned that while law enforcement has substantial information regarding the culprits, they are awaiting forensic results before making arrests.
Approximately 700 people were at the venue celebrating when the dispute started just before closing time. The sheriff characterized the incident as stemming from an ongoing feud between the involved parties who resorted to drawing firearms on each other.
The sheriff voiced his concern about what he perceives as an escalating problem in Beaufort County with machine guns. He revealed that his office arrested 24 individuals for possession of machine guns within the past 18 months, with only six remaining incarcerated while the rest were released on bond.
Tanner also attributed the violent episode to gang activity and online disputes that incite conflicts in the county. The State Law Enforcement Division and FBI provided assistance with the investigation.
St. Helena Island is renowned for being the heart of Gullah Geechee culture, which represents the descendants of enslaved Africans who worked on plantations along the southeastern coast. Willie’s Bar and Grill, the shooting’s location, prides itself on serving authentic Gullah cuisine and promoting the warm spirit of the Gullah Geechee culture.
The same location experienced violence in November 2022 when it operated under the name Island Grill. During that incident, two people received non-life-threatening injuries from gunshot wounds, which also happened in the parking lot around closing time.
Several South Carolina politicians, including Representative Nancy Mace and Senator Tim Scott, expressed their sorrow following the shooting. They urged anyone with information to contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and noted that all South Carolinians would be keeping those affected in their thoughts.
At Wednesday’s briefing with Sheriff Tanner, community members voiced their concerns about the rising gang violence on the usually quiet island. Some residents also pointed out that the area’s rapid development is limiting available recreational spaces for young people.
On November 14, 2025, authorities arrested Anferny Freeman, 27, of St. Helena Island, and charged him with four counts of murder in connection with the shooting. Freeman, who was already in jail on unrelated machine gun possession charges, had a year-long dispute with victim Kashawn Glaze. According to Sheriff Tanner, investigators determined there were three shooters at the scene: Freeman, Glaze (who was killed during the exchange), and a third individual who has not yet been publicly identified. Freeman was wounded in the stomach during the shooting and was transported to a hospital before being arrested weeks later. Sheriff Tanner said investigators used bullets, shell casings, video footage, and witness interviews to build their case, and additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
In the same November briefing, Sheriff Tanner revised earlier estimates, clarifying that 15 people were injured by gunfire and that between 300 and 350 people attended the event, rather than the initial estimates of 16 injured and 700 attendees.