911 calls reveal former Mullins officer reported shots fired after allegedly shooting man

MULLINS, S.C. (WMBF) – A former Mullins police corporal accused of shooting another man made the first call to get help, but he didn’t reveal his suspected involvement, according to newly released 911 calls.

WMBF News obtained the 911 calls from the night of September 28, when investigators said former Cpl. John Pettiford got into a fight with a man on Jade Court and then shot the victim multiple times.

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In the 911 call with Pettiford, he tells the dispatcher that he heard gunshots in the neighborhood.

During the call, Pettiford can be heard telling the victim to hang in there and breathe.

The dispatcher can also be heard asking multiple times if the victim knows who shot him, but the dispatcher doesn’t get an answer from Pettiford.

“Did Corey say who shot him?” the dispatcher questioned.

“He said something but (inaudible)… I’m here,” Pettiford said. “He’s breathing, don’t move Corey, breathe Corey, don’t lay on your back Corey.”

A second 911 call was made by the victim’s mother and sister who were driving to Jade Court while on the phone with the victim.

During that 911 call, the mother and sister told the dispatcher that the victim was shot in the head and in some woods.

They also revealed information about the suspected shooter.

“The dude that shot him is a police officer from Mullins,” the sister said to the dispatcher.

But when the dispatcher asks for a name, the two women on the phone provide the name “Ronnell.”

The victim survived the shooting, but his condition has never been released.

Hours after the shooting, the Mullins Police Department announced that Pettiford was terminated.

The State Law Enforcement Division took over the investigation and charged him with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

He’s currently at the Marion County Detention Center after a judge denied him bond.

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