LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — A man was charged with attempted murder after allegedly trying to steal liquor and pulling out a gun as employees prevented him from getting away with the merchandise, said the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
Datarius Marques Vaughn-McHam, 27, of Charlotte, tried to steal two bottles of high-dollar tequila from the Stateline Elite package store on Charlotte Highway in Indian Land at about 3 p.m. Saturday, witnesses told deputies.
He tried to walk out with the liquor when two employees intervened, the sheriff said.
One restrained Vaughn-McHam and the other blocked the door.
The store had three more workers and four customers inside.
That was when the suspect pulled out a 9mm pistol and he and the employees struggled with the gun.
Two shots were fired. No one was struck, deputies said.
A customer helped restrain the suspect until deputies arrived.
One employee was bitten and Vaughn-McHam got a bloody nose. No other injuries were reported.
“This was a very dangerous incident, and I am thankful no one was shot or seriously hurt,” said Sheriff Barry Faile in a news release. “While we are glad Vaughn-McHam was detained by the employees and a customer, I caution folks that what begins as a property crime like this can quickly turn into a life-or-death situation when you don’t know who you’re dealing with or what he might have on him. The better course is to get a good description or photos of the suspect and his car with a tag number and pass that information on to the police.”
Vaughn-McHam was wanted by several North Carolina law enforcement agencies, and the pistol had been reported lost to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department on New Year’s Eve.
He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.
He was taken to the Lancaster County Detention Center and appeared before a magistrate Sunday morning where bond was denied.
A detainer has been placed on him by the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.
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