HOPKINS, SC (WLTX) - A Richland County coroner's office employee is dead and another county employee is wounded following an argument that led to a fatal shooting at a home in Lower Richland County.
Lt. Curtis Wilson with the Richland County Sheriff's office says the shooting took place around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday outside a home in the 1500 block of Clarkson Road in Hopkins. Officers say people in the area called 911 to report to officers that shots were fired.
When deputies arrived, they found one victim dead, and another with a gunshot wound. The wounded person was taken to the hospital, and at this point, that person's condition is unknown.
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts confirmed the employee who died worked for his agency. Wilson said the other employee worked for the county in another capacity.
Wilson said there was an argument taking place before the shooting, but the exact nature of the dispute isn't known yet.
Wilson said there is no search for a suspect at this point.
Because it involves a Richland County Coroner's office employee, part of the investigation into the death is being turned over to the Lexington County Coroner's office. At this point, that agency has not identified the person who died.
One man, who did not want to be identified, said he never expected something like this to happen in Hopkins.
"Tragic. No ifs, ands or buts about it. It's an uneasy thing to swallow. This is something worrisome in a sense. Curious about the matter and you wonder what happened. You're trying to figure out what happened and why it happened," he said.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said he will hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon to talk about Tuesday's shooting.