Two arrested after man was killed and woman injured in shooting at SC motel, police say
A man was killed and another person was injured late Saturday night in a shooting, according to the Sumter Police Department.
Raekwon Owens, a 28-year-old Sumter County resident, died at the scene, Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Monday.
At about 11 p.m. Saturday, officers responded to a call about a shooting at the Rodeway Inn on North Washington Street, police told The State Monday. That’s in the downtown Sumter area, between U.S. 15/South Lafayette Drive and U.S. 521/North Guignard Drive.
At the motel, officers found Owens’ body, as well as another person who was injured, according to police.
The surviving victim, a 25-year-old Sumter woman, was taken to a Columbia hospital where she remains in stable condition, police said Wednesday. Further information on her condition was not available.
Another woman, a 26-year-old Sumter resident, also was found in the room but was not injured during the gunfire, according to police.
No other injuries were reported.
On Wednesday, police said two men were arrested.
Tevon Demetrius Guess, a 34-year-old Pinewood resident, was identified as a suspect and taken into custody Sunday morning, according to police. He was charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, police said.
Officers later identified a second suspect, 39-year-old Sumter resident Melvin Shirell Belle, according to police. Belle turned himself in late Wednesday afternoon and was charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, according to police.
Both men were booked at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, and additional charges are pending, police said.
Both Guess and Belle as well as the victims are all considered acquaintances, according to police.
Information about a possible motive for the shooting was not available.
The shooting continues to be investigated by police and the coroner’s office. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed Thursday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, Baker said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
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This story was originally published January 27, 2025 at 7:50 AM with the headline "Two arrested after man was killed and woman injured in shooting at SC motel, police say."
