Spartanburg teens die in late-night Cook Out parking lot shooting
Police confirmed two teenagers were killed and a third injured after shots were fired near a fast-food restaurant on Halloween night.
By Yuna Fletcher ·
Two teenagers lost their lives in a shooting near a restaurant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, early Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, shortly after Halloween, outside a Cook Out location on John B. White Sr. Boulevard.
Spartanburg Police Chief Art Littlejohn said officers responded to reports of multiple shots being fired. Upon arrival, deputies found two individuals in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. Medical personnel provided first aid at the scene before transporting the victims to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. Both teens died at the hospital.
The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office identified the victims as Jayden Marek Watson, 15, and Shane Carter Dawkins, 17. A third person was also shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. That individual was taken to a hospital by a family member rather than by emergency services.
Chief Littlejohn described the group as young people out for food and trick-or-treating who were caught in a sudden burst of gunfire. He noted that the victims were not known to be in trouble and were simply enjoying the evening. Littlejohn stated that someone was irresponsible by pulling out a gun and starting to shoot.
No arrests have been made as of Monday, and no suspects have been identified. The police department continues to investigate the incident. Authorities are reviewing evidence from the scene to determine what triggered the exchange of fire.
Source: KAUU
