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A late-night home invasion on Tuesday, May 6 ended in gunfire, leaving one person dead and another injured, according to the Barnwell Police Department.
Officers were dispatched around 10 p.m. to a residence on Bomba Street, which is across the street from Walmart, following reports of a home invasion and shots fired. One individual was pronounced dead at the hospital, and another was transported to Bamberg-Barnwell Emergency Medical Center with unknown injuries, said Barnwell Police Chief Michael Butts.
The deceased is identified as 22-year-old Adam Clark of Barnwell, said Barnwell County Coroner Denise Gibson. He did not live at the residence where the shooting took place.
"He was shot twice," said Gibson.
An autopsy will be conducted Friday morning, May 9 in Newberry, said Gibson.
Chief Butts said the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is assisting with the investigation, which remains ongoing. He noted that the incident may be connected to an earlier altercation and that the shooting could potentially be a case of self-defense.
“There is a possibility of this being a case of self-defense,” Butts said. “The home invasion was potentially in retaliation to an incident that occurred earlier in the week.”
While details remain limited, Butts urged the community to help law enforcement by reporting suspicious activity.
“We can’t do anything about this stuff if no one calls,” he said. “If you see something, please say something instead of bringing it to Facebook.”
Butts emphasized the importance of community cooperation moving forward: “We need the community’s help and support to restore Barnwell to the safe town it used to be.”
No arrests have been made as of the time of publication, but the investigation is ongoing.
