Sheriff Tanner: July 4 violence began with fight between two groups; investigators continue search for additional suspects
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
A Fourth of July celebration at one of Hilton Head Island’s busiest beaches erupted into chaos Saturday night when a fight between two groups escalated into gunfire, leaving eight adults wounded and prompting a rapid law enforcement response that led to the arrest of four St. Helena Island residents within hours.
The shooting occurred shortly after 8:20 p.m., Saturday, July 4 near the public beach access and volleyball courts at Coligny Beach as thousands of residents and visitors gathered for Independence Day festivities.
According to Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received multiple calls reporting gunfire at approximately 8:21 p.m. Because numerous deputies and other law enforcement officers were already assigned to the island for the holiday, the first deputies arrived about 17 seconds after the initial calls were received.
“It was one of the quickest responses you’re ever going to see,” Tanner said during a Sunday afternoon media briefing.
Investigators believe the violence began when two groups of young people, consisting of both men and women ranging in age from 17 to 19, encountered one another near the beach access.
According to Tanner, an argument between the groups escalated into a physical fight between one individual from each group. Moments after the first punches were thrown, gunfire erupted, sending beachgoers running for cover.
Authorities said eight adults suffered gunshot wounds or gunshot-related injuries during the incident. Tanner said one victim suffered a grazing wound to the head, another was shot in the neck, and another was struck three times, including twice in the stomach. Other victims suffered wounds to the shoulder, arm, leg and foot. Some injured victims declined medical treatment at the scene.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has not released the identities or conditions of the victims.
Four St. Helena Island residents charged
Deputies quickly obtained descriptions of the suspects and their vehicle from witnesses while investigators simultaneously began reviewing surveillance footage from cameras positioned in the Coligny area.
According to Tanner, investigators identified the suspect vehicle on Pope Avenue at approximately 9:02 p.m., and stopped it on the Charles Fraser Bridge at about 9:07 p.m., less than an hour after the shooting.
Six occupants of the vehicle were detained and interviewed.
Following interviews and additional investigation, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of four St. Helena Island residents.
— Jayden Lorenzo Hawes, 18, is charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and aggravated breach of peace.
— Marcello Lopez Royal, 17, is charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, aggravated breach of peace and sale or delivery of a pistol to and possession by certain persons unlawful involving a stolen pistol.
— Quazeir Rasheem Davis, 17, faces the same four charges as Royal.
— Christopher Charles Capers, 17, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
A review of Beaufort County Public Index records by The Island News shows separate General Sessions cases have been filed against each defendant.
Court records show Royal and Davis each received $10,000 cash or surety bonds on the charge of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, $20,000 cash or surety bonds on the aggravated breach of peace charge and $10,000 cash or surety bonds on the charge involving possession of a stolen pistol. As of Monday afternoon, Public Index records reflected no cash or surety bond on the attempted murder charges.
Public Index records also show Capers was granted a $50,000 surety bond and has since been released from custody.
During Sunday’s media briefing, Tanner stated that five people had been arrested and investigators expected charges against a sixth suspect.
Following the press conference, however, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lt. Daniel Allen clarified to The Island News that the sheriff misspoke. Allen confirmed four people have been arrested in connection with the shooting, consistent with the Sheriff’s Office’s written news releases.
Tanner said investigators continue gathering information regarding another possible suspect and indicated additional arrests and charges remain possible as detectives continue processing evidence, interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage.
Technology helps investigators quickly identify suspects
Tanner credited technology, combined with witness statements and the large law enforcement presence already assigned to Hilton Head Island for the Fourth of July holiday, with helping investigators move quickly.
Investigators reviewed video from the Sheriff’s Office’s mobile Verkada surveillance trailer, which had been positioned near the Coligny Beach entrance prior to the holiday following concerns about late-night criminal activity in the area. The sheriff said the system captured the altercation and provided investigators with critical evidence.
In addition, license plate reader technology helped investigators identify and locate the suspect vehicle as it left the Coligny area.
“We have remarkable video,” Tanner said. “We have the entire incident.”
Investigators also recovered four firearms during the investigation. According to Tanner, deputies recovered two firearms from marshland near the Charles Fraser Bridge after observing items being thrown from the suspect vehicle during the traffic stop. A third firearm was recovered from inside the vehicle, while a fourth was recovered from the beach.
One of those firearms, Tanner said, had been illegally converted to fire fully automatically.
Investigators continue gathering evidence
Tanner said investigators are continuing to determine whether the shooting was gang-related but cautioned that it is too early to reach any conclusions.
“We’re looking at every possibility,” he said.
The sheriff also said investigators have identified approximately 150 witnesses and are continuing to review a large amount of surveillance and cellphone video collected from businesses, members of the public and law enforcement cameras.
The investigation has already generated numerous search warrants, and detectives continue processing evidence gathered from the scene and the traffic stop.
Despite the scope of the investigation, Tanner emphasized that officials do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.
“We believe this was an isolated incident between these two groups,” he said.
Mayor calls shooting heartbreaking
Hilton Head Island Mayor Alan Perry joined Tanner during Sunday’s media briefing, calling the shooting devastating for the island community.
“I’ve been sick to my stomach since last night,” Perry said. “I grew up here. This is my home.”
Perry thanked law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel and first responders for their rapid response, saying the outcome could have been much worse.
“Thank God nobody was killed,” he said. “That’s the fortunate thing. The unfortunate thing is that it happened in our backyard with thousands of people that we care about.”
Perry said the Hilton Head Island Town Council plans to hold a special meeting to discuss additional public safety measures following the shooting.
He also said the town will continue working with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to expand security measures around Coligny Beach, including additional camera coverage and other technology aimed at preventing future violence.
Referring to the four defendants, who are listed in court and detention records as residents of St. Helena Island, Perry said, “When these thugs come in from out of town, we need to push them right back out.”
At the same time, Perry urged residents and visitors not to allow the shooting to define Hilton Head Island.
“We can’t rest our laurels on one bad incident,” he said. “That’s not who we are as a community. That does not define Hilton Head Island.”
Sheriff disputes “mass shooting” label
One of the more notable moments during Sunday’s press conference came when Tanner interrupted a reporter’s question after the incident was described as a mass shooting.
“This is not a mass shoot,” Tanner said before answering the question.
He later explained that, in his view, whether an incident qualifies as a mass shooting depends on the intended target rather than solely on the number of people injured.
Tanner’s comments drew a distinction from the public discussion following the October 2025 shooting at Willie’s Bar & Grill on St. Helena Island. That incident also stemmed from violence involving rival groups in a crowded public setting and left several people dead and others wounded, including bystanders.
While the Willie’s shooting was widely described as a mass shooting in public reporting and discussion, Tanner did not publicly challenge that characterization during his public briefings at the time.
The sheriff also said the Coligny Beach shooting underscores the need for additional investment in public safety infrastructure.
He pointed to surveillance technology as one of the most valuable tools investigators used in quickly identifying suspects and said he would like to see expanded camera coverage throughout the Coligny area, along with improved lighting and landscaping changes designed to eliminate places where people can conceal themselves after dark.
“It’s critical and crucial that we continue to invest our energy and our money into things that work,” Tanner said. “Technology is just one of those things.”
The investigation remains active, and additional arrests and charges remain possible.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact lead investigator Sgt. Matthew Aaron of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office at 843-255-3436.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted through Crime Stoppers of Beaufort County using the P3 Tips app, by visiting TIPSBFT.com, or by calling 844-TIPS-BFT.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.
