UPDATE: Deputies identify suspect in Walterboro murders

The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office released a mug shot of a man identified as a suspect in Tuesday’s drive-by shooting in Walterboro that killed 3 people and injured 6 others.

He’s Danziel Chapman, 19, of Walterboro.

*Tuesday’s story*

Family and members of the community are in shock and are mourning the tragic death of three people killed in a hail of gunfire in a Walterboro drive-by shooting.  Six other people were also injured.

Among the dead, Ruby Kittrell’s son, brother, and one-year-old grand-daughter.  Twenty-one-year-old Christopher Powell died at MUSC, 45-year-old Charles Kittrell died at the scene, and 20-month-old Shaniyah Burden died at Colleton County Medical Center.

The drive-by shooting happened at 10pm at a house on the corner of Girardeau and McDaniels streets, which is across the street from a playground.  Around twenty people were at the house playing cards and watching t-v on the porch when a drive by shooter opened fire.  Ruby Kittrell says she was inside getting ready for work.  Kittrell says, “All I heard was a pop and another pop and it started this continuous shooting like fire crackers.  One of the fellas ran in the house and said he got hit, and my daughter was hollering munch, oh mamma munch, that’s my grand baby..  got hit, and I went outside she was on the ground, my brother, my son, and I turned my grand baby over, that’s what devastated me the most. She’s just one. They tore a family apart. Three people. My grand baby, my grand baby.. she was my heart.“

Kittrell’s daughter Aleisha, Shaniyah’s mother, was also shot several times, and remains in the hospital.  Ruby Littrell says, “Whoever did this to my family, I pray to God they come forward and just turn themselves in.“  Now, she fears the violence will continue.  “The violence needs to stop. They need to pray.  Just stop all this violence and stop trying to retaliate.  Let the Lord and the law handle this, not go out and try to kill somebody else.  It’s not going to bring any of them back.  It’s a great loss, not going to bring any of them back, they don’t need to retaliate or do nothing….just let the Lord handle it and the law, that’s all I’m asking.“

The other six victims were treated for their injuries at area hospitals.  We’re told some are still in the hospital.  The family is in the process of making funeral arrangements. 

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the Walterboro police are investigating.  SLED director Reggie Lloyd says, “The youngest victim in this case should be alive with her family right now.  Instead, she is another tragedy in another senseless violent crime. This is a heartbreaking tragedy that could and should have been avoided.  SLED has a strong presence in Walterboro and has assembled investigators, crime scene agents and other personnel to find the shooter or shooters.“  SLED is searching for a dark-colored vehicle that was seen in the area at the time of the shooting.

If you have any information in this case, call 1-888-crime-sc immediately.  You can remain anonymous.