‘Senseless’: Family, community stunned by fatal shooting of 15-year-old in Dillon County

DILLON COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Members of one Dillon County community are still stunned after a deadly shooting involving teenagers on Tuesday.

Authorities said the shooting happened in the Bunker Hill community, where one teen was fatally shot. Family members that spoke to WMBF News on Wednesday later identified him as 15-year-old Janare Fletcher.

“It’s just really shocking, really shocking, at this moment,” said Janare’s aunt, Jessica Fletcher. “Senseless. I wish it would’ve never happened.”

Another 15-year-old was also shot and was stated to be in critical condition. Their stepfather said the teen had surgery Wednesday, but no further update was provided on their condition.

Neighbors in the area told WMBF News that they heard anywhere from 10-to-15 gunshots Tuesday afternoon on Coreys Street.

“You just don’t expect something like this to happen, not at that young of an age,” said Antonio Bellamy, who lives in the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Janare’s mother said her son was a tenth-grader at Dillon High School that had plans to go into the Army. He even had his prom attire already picked out for his junior year.

Jessica Fletcher also remembered her nephew as “intelligent” and “respectful.”

“He would do anything for anybody,” she said.

The Dillon County Sheriff’s Office said a 13-year-old was taken into custody in connection to the shooting. It’s unclear if they will be charged as an adult in the case, and the shooting remains under investigation.

In the meantime, those in the community are calling for change.

“We need to make a change, we really need to make a change for the community, for the people, for our kids, so we can make sure that stuff like this doesn’t happen,” said Jessica Fletcher.

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