A quiet stretch of Piano Road transformed into the scene of tragedy around 2 p.m. on Monday when 21-year-old Chandler Martin of Florence was shot and killed in the Darlington County area. According to a news release from Darlington County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Michael August, deputies responded to reports of shots fired near the intersection of Piano Road and South Charleston Road.
When first-responders arrived, they discovered Martin with fatal injuries. Coroner Todd Hardee pronounced him dead at the scene. Officials say the shooting appears to be an isolated incident with no immediate threat to the public.
At this time, the exact motive and circumstances remain unclear. Deputies are actively investigating the matter, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses in the hopes of identifying a suspect. The Sheriff’s Office has not released any information about a suspect or whether anyone is in custody.
An autopsy is scheduled to be performed later this week as the coroner’s office works to determine the official cause and time of death. Family and community members are left to grapple with the sudden loss of a young man whose life was cut short. The investigation is still unfolding, and authorities ask anyone with information to contact SLED or the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office.
For now, the area around Piano Road remains the focus of law enforcement activity and police caution nearby residents to be vigilant and report any unusual behavior. The Sheriff’s release reiterated that while the incident is isolated, assistance from the public may prove crucial in piecing together what happened.
As the community mourns, friends and loved ones remember Chandler Martin for the person he was—a young man with his life ahead of him, now taken in the blink of an afternoon.
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