An 18-year-old man has been charged following one of two separate shootings that occurred Saturday night during South Carolina State University’s Homecoming weekend, leaving one person dead and two others injured.
According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Matthew Daniel McCoy is charged with pointing and presenting a firearm at a person and carrying a weapon on school property.
The university’s Department of Public Safety confirmed that the campus went into immediate lockdown following the gunfire near Hugine Suites, a student residential complex.
The affidavit states that an altercation between two groups preceded the shooting. McCoy allegedly retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and fired two shots at a male guest on campus.
Authorities reported that two victims were taken to the hospital. Jaliyah Butler, a 19-year-old female guest from Saluda, was pronounced dead at MUSC Health Orangeburg, according to Coroner Sean Fogle.
The second victim, a male guest, was airlifted to another hospital. His condition is currently unknown. A third person sustained minor injuries while fleeing the scene.
SC State University cancelled Monday’s classes and continued to restrict campus access to students, employees, and law enforcement only. Students in other residence halls were ordered to remain in their rooms, while off-campus students were urged to stay away.
It is unclear which of the two shootings McCoy is directly connected to, but investigators believe the two incidents are not related.
University President Alexander Conyers expressed his condolences, calling the violence “senseless,” and said the school is cooperating fully with SLED’s investigation.
U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn also released a statement, urging action to address violence and ensure public safety: “The scourge of violence must end.”
Students have since expressed fear and concern about safety on campus. “I really didn’t feel safe until we got off campus,” said student Shazar Robinson.
Another student, Lamonika Wright, described the chaos: “I saw a girl on the ground. Paramedics were around her. Yellow tape everywhere.”
In response to the traumatic events, SC State’s Counseling and Self-Development Center extended its hours, offering in-person support to students through Tuesday.
McCoy was booked into the Orangeburg County Detention Center, and the investigation remains active as the campus stays under lockdown.
