‘Angry’ Chester County Sheriff speaks out about 2 recent shooting incidents, gun violence
After recent and unrelated shooting incidents in Chester County, which included a mid-day killing and shots fired near a baseball complex, Sheriff Max Dorsey said Friday that gun violence in Chester is part of a national epidemic.
A man was fatally shot around 10:20 a.m. Monday while cutting grass on Pinckney Drive, Dorsey said. The same day around 7:45 p.m., shots were fired near a baseball complex in Chester, according to Dorsey and sheriff’s office incident reports. No one was injured near the ball fields.
The incidents have not been linked. Still, Dorsey said he understands that people in Chester are concerned about gun violence.
“It certainly has brought a level of anxiety to our community members,” Dorsey said at a news conference Friday held at the sheriff’s office substation near Interstate 77. “We have to get a handle on this gun violence.”
Chester County is a largely rural county of around 32,000 people located between Rock Hill and Columbia. The city of Chester, with about 5,500 residents is the county seat. The two recent incidents were in county jurisdiction just outside the Chester city limits.
Dorsey said shootings are not limited to Chester County but are part of a regional and national scourge.
“This is an epidemic that is happening across our country, gun violence and violent crime in general,” Dorsey said.
Dorsey said he had the news conference to let the public know that his office is cognizant of the community’s concern over gun violence, which this week happened in daylight in areas filled with people.
The killing of the man Monday morning remains unsolved. Dorsey said deputies and South Carolina law enforcement are investigating.
“We are going to use every resource available to keep us safe,” Dorsey said.
Shots fired near baseball complex
Dorsey said his office now has dedicated a deputy to be at the ball field complex off Dawson Drive, outside the Chester city limits for the rest of the season during practice and games in the afternoons and evenings.
Dorsey said he was angered by the shots fired near the ball field complex because public recreation fields where children and families gather should be safe.
“Our community’s most vulnerable people were at that complex,” Dorsey said. “They should feel safe there. If you can feels safe anywhere in America, it should be at your local baseball complex. I was angry. I still am.”
The incident of shots fired near the baseball field also remains unsolved and under investigation, Dorsey said.
Dorsey declined to go into detail about ongoing police inquiries into the recent shooting incidents and did not link the incidents in Chester County with gangs or any group or individual. However, Dorsey acknowledged that in general, Chester County has a problem with gangs and guns.
“In general there is an element of gun violence generated by gangs,” Dorsey said. “We have gangs in Chester County.”
Gangs are fueled by the sale of drugs and guns, Dorsey said. Chester County also has a problem with gun violence and addiction to illegal drugs, Dorsey said.
This story was originally published April 21, 2023 at 11:34 AM.
