19-year-old father shot, killed in Lancaster; no arrests made

LANCASTER, S.C. — Police are looking for the person they said shot and killed a 19-year-old father Tuesday night in Lancaster, South Carolina.

Officers responded to the shooting call around 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Caroline Court Apartments on Caroline Court, and when they arrived on the scene they found a black SUV riddled with bullet holes.

[IMAGES: Police investigating homicide in Lancaster]

As officers investigated further, Mar'Quise Evans, 19, walked around from behind an apartment building and collapsed to the ground.

Police said Evans had been shot several times and died at the scene.

Sally Sweatt said the shots sounded like they were just outside her door. She said she shoved her daughter to the ground.

“I pushed her down on the floor and I got on the floor,” Sweatt said. "I told my daughter, I said, ‘My heart's in my throat.' That's what it felt like."

When it got quiet again, neighbors looked outside their doors and windows and saw the young man on the ground. Police officers were conducting CPR on him.

"When I heard the shots, I jumped on the floor,” Nannie Talford said. “I said, I hope he ain’t dead,’ and my neighbor told me, ‘He gone.'”

Lancaster police shut down the parking area and spent hours talking to neighbors, marking evidence and running metal detectors.

Friends of Evans told Channel 9 he had a 1-year-old son.

A witness, whose granddaughter was in the SUV that was shot up, told Channel 9 that Evans was an innocent bystander. He said someone in another vehicle pulled up and fired shots into the SUV, and that Evans -- who was not connected to anyone in the SUV -- ran when he heard the shots but was hit by a bullet.

Police have not confirmed that account though.

"It's sad that a young man loses his life over nothing. Something stupid," said Herman Sowell. Those who live at the apartments said they heard at least 10-12 shots.

Authorities are still trying to figure out what led to the shooting. No arrests have been made, and no suspect description has been released.

Evans sometimes stayed at the apartment complex with his cousin, Ja'quavious Strothers.

Another cousin, Montel Frazier, said the worst part is thinking of Evans' baby.

"It's hard to explain to his son and how he would take it, and I really hate it,” Frazier said.

An autopsy was scheduled to be performed Wednesday.

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