No shots fired in off-field incident between students during South Florence-Wilson game

FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Officials said an off-field incident involving students during Friday night’s high school football game between South Florence and Wilson led to the game being called early.

Florence School District 1 said Saturday that the incident stemmed from an altercation between two students near the home concession stand at South Florence’s Bruin Stadium.

“As law enforcement was addressing the altercation, students became frantic and started running towards and through the home side bleachers,” the district said in a statement. “In response to the fleeing students panic set in, and the home side stands began to clear.”

The Florence County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with WMBF News on Saturday that no shots were fired during the incident in question. No guns were also reported to law enforcement, administrators or other officials.

“As best we can determine, some people in the stands yelled someone had a gun and others began running,” the sheriff’s office said.

The district said teams, officials and cheerleaders were sent to the nearby fieldhouse while the situation was addressed, but an evacuation of the stadium was never ordered. Student-athletes and officials remained in the fieldhouse until the stadium and parking lot cleared.

While officials initially wanted to resume the game midway through the third quarter, it was called after further discussion with South Florence defeating Wilson, 63-0.

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