LAURINBURG – Police are still piecing together a shoot out in the parking lot of Scotland Crossing shopping center Friday night that left two young Scotland County men injured.

The shooting took place immediately following the Scotland/Richmond football game.

Chris Chavis, 20 of McKay Street in Wagram, was shot in the head and airlifted from Scotland Memorial Hospital to an undisclosed hospital, according to police.

Kenneth Parker, 20, of Old Lumberton Road, was shot in the ankle.

The call came in to police at 11:02 p.m.

“Officers responded to Cook Out about a large fight in progress,” said Assistant Police Chief Terry Chavis. “While en route, they received a call back that there were shots fired and a subject had been struck. On scene, they found one victim in the Citi Trends parking lot and EMS transported him.”

The shooting is still being investigated as police try to parse out the stories of everyone involved and determine who fired the shots.

“To my knowledge the fight started between two young men, and the crowd got involved. At this point we still don’t know if one of those two fired the weapon or if they were shot,” Chavis said.

Nearby parking lots were filled with a large post-game crowd. The size of the crowd complicated the job of police and left quite a few bystanders stranded after police cordoned off their cars along with the crime scene to begin their investigation. Crime scene tape stretched from the Greek Village Restaurant to just past Goody’s department store and out to Scotland Crossing Drive.

In order to claim their vehicles, owners had to consent to a search or wait for police to obtain search warrants.

“We have to search the cars to make sure they’re clear before folks can take them home,” said Chief of Police Darwin “Duke” Williams. “The parking lot was extremely packed. It was immediately after the game, and people went to Cook Out and Waffle House.”

Police were on the scene into the early hours of Saturday interviewing witnesses and searching the parking lot to recover evidence.

Witnesses said the shooting took place following a fight and sent customers scrambling for cover at Cook Out.

“I was over here ordering food, and I saw a couple of guys over there fighting in the parking lot, and then they were running around, and all of a sudden I heard one shot and everybody was like what’s going on,” said Bradley Pate who was outside the restaurant when the incident occurred. “And probably 30 seconds later maybe there were a bunch of shots back to back going off. I’m sitting here hiding, not trying to get shot; I don’t know what’s going on and then the cops start coming in.”

Around 10 people were part of the initial fight, and dozens fled the scene after the shooting, according to Pate.

Employees of Cook Out fled the front of the building to find cover.

“I heard five or six gunshots, and we had to run to the back. We didn’t stop to lock up or anything. We just ran,” said a Cook Out employee who identified herself as Arreoncole.

Two vehicles received damage from bullets during the shooting, according to Chavis.

A Ford Fusion belonging to Ronald Nelms of Old Farm Circle received $150 damage to its taillights.

A Chevrolet Cruze belonging to Trieven Hoskins of Blue Woods Road received $300 damage to the bumper.

Those with cars parked near the crime scene were asked to consent to have their cars cleared by a search in order to claim them.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_GoodysearchProcessed.jpgThose with cars parked near the crime scene were asked to consent to have their cars cleared by a search in order to claim them.

By Beth Lawrence

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Reach Beth Lawrence 910-506-3169