LORIS, SC (WMBF) - Detectives with the Loris Police Department have few clues to go off of in a weekend shooting that killed a North Carolina man.
Loris Police Chief Joseph Vaught confirms police are investigating the death of a North Carolina man who was shot and killed near an apartment complex in Loris Saturday night.
Investigators say 34-year-old Elroy Miller died from a gunshot wound to his chest around 10 p.m. Saturday. Police are now working to identify a suspect in the shooting.
Loris police have been investigating on Maple Street since Saturday but right now, Chief Vaught says there are no suspects and no motive. Vaught says the shooting death is, however, being treated as a homicide.
"We don't have any information that would indicate that it was random or drive-by or anything of that type," Vaught says. "It appeared to be two people who were fairly close to one another."
Witnesses say the shooting happened in the 4100 block of Maple Street, at a three unit apartment.
One witness, who chose not to be identified, says the incident started with a shouting match, and quickly escalated to gun violence.
"They got a gun, then after a while I heard…'pow-pow'," the witness says. "I started to get up and look, and I said ‘nope, [if] I stick my head out there I might get shot'."
Police arrived to the scene to find Miller dead in the yard of a gunshot wound to the chest.
Neighbors like Tyronda Bellamy say Miller used to live nearby, and visited the neighborhood often. Bellamy says she's shocked by Miller's death.
"Nobody deserved that, and my heart goes out to the family," Bellamy says.
Some neighbors living nearby say they believe Maple Street is a safe place. But some, like Travis Gilchrist, say they hope Miller's death is a wake up call for community leaders to do more to keep neighborhoods safe.
"The city should come together or find some kind of funds to build a recreation [center] for the youth around here," Gilchrist says. "That's what we need to keep the streets safe."
Chief Vaught says anyone with information about the crime should call Loris Police.
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