Graduation Party Shooting Sees Teens Struck Down in Hail of Gunfire: Police

Suspects fired into a crowd of party-goers at an outdoor graduation celebration late Saturday night in a drive-by shooting that injured seven victims and killed one in South Carolina, authorities said.

Witnesses told investigators that two vehicles approached the party near Summerton around 11 p.m., with one driving onto the lawn, and suspects began firing shots at the attendees, the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office reported in a news release.

A 32-year-old woman was killed in the attack, the sheriff said. Seven others–six juveniles ranging in age from 12 to 17, as well as a 36-year-old–were injured.

Police did not report the conditions of the surviving victims.

Law enforcement officials believe the crime may be a continuation of other gang-related crimes in the area.

"This appears to be a Gang-related incident stemming from previous drive by shootings in other parts of the county," the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook.

There were about 150 people at the scene as officers arrived. Investigators have not yet determined "if shots were fired at specific persons or randomly into the crowd," the sheriff's office said.

Police recovered 60 to 70 rounds at the scene but noted some may have been from party-goers.

"It is not clear, as of yet, if some of these rounds may have been from return fire from some of the subjects at the party," the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's department condoned the violence in its news release.

"These acts of violence cannot continue," the sheriff said. "Innocent children and adults are suffering the consequences of these acts."

The drive-by suspects fled the scene after the incident, and the sheriff's office is seeking information on the case.

"We are and will continue to work on this incident," the sheriff said.

The incident prompted response from several other agencies, including the Manning Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol and Clarendon County Fire Rescue.

Newsweek reached out to the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office for additional information.

Shootings have marred several other graduation parties recently, including in Georgia.

On May 28 in Thomaston, an 18-year-old was killed and several others injured when gunfire broke out at a party where at least 200 people, mostly juveniles, were in attendance, according to WSB-TV.

Police said that shooting, which occurred at the city's Main Event at Park Place event center, may have stemmed from a fight among attendees.

On May 27, six attendees at an Anniston, Alabama, graduation party were also injured in a shooting, police said.