GAFFNEY, S.C. (WSPA) – The Cherokee County Coroner’s Office is investigating a death after one man was fatally shot in a Gaffney neighborhood Sunday night.
The coroner’s office said 22-year-old Demetrius Nigerian Wood was “gunned down” while standing outside of a residence on General Drive in Gaffney around 10 p.m.
Wood was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.
“What we have gathered in the early stages of the investigation last night into early this morning, is that the two knew each other,” said Sheriff Steve Mueller. “They had been involved in what was considered ‘play fighting,’ kind of ‘horse playing.’ That play fighting escalated into gunfire. Now, we have a person that’s deceased.”
Mueller said the sheriff’s office is now working with multiple agencies to locate the suspect.
“We know that the suspect fled into North Carolina into the Gastonia area,” he said.
People who live in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred told 7NEWS this is not the first time a large crowd has created problems in the area.
“Guys that don’t live here hang out, party and do what they want to do,” said a neighbor who asked to remain anonymous. “When you tell them to move, they don’t move. We call the police. The police come, and they still don’t move. I don’t know what to do.”
The neighbor said she hopes someone speaks out about the shooting.
“That was somebody’s child laying out there. Someone needs to know something. If it was their child, they would want to know something.”
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC or Investigator Logan Heintzel at 864-486-4722 ext #120.
