2 killed, 1 hurt in shooting at Rock Hill smoke shop, police say

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Two people have died and another person has been seriously hurt following a shooting at a smoke shop Wednesday night.

Just before 9:45 p.m., the Rock Hill Police Department responded to a shots fired call at Budiman’s Smokeshop & Art Gallery on Cherry Road.

As officers drove to the scene, officers were told the possible suspect in this case was a man driving a silver Dodge truck.

As officers pulled up to the smoke shop, they saw the man enter the truck with a gun and drive off. He drove north on Cherry Road before crashing at the bridge over the Catawba River, according to police.

The suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Zachary East Elias, was then confronted by officers. During the confrontation, officers fired at Elias but did not hit him.

After a brief struggle, Elias was eventually subdued and taken into custody, according to police.

Police said a man and woman were found dead from gunshot wounds at the original scene. Another woman was also found with gunshot wounds and taken to an area hospital for treatment.

According to Rock Hill police, 27-year-old Celci Johnson of Rock Hill was the employee killed, and 49-year-old Emad Thabet Saadalla of Rock Hill was the customer in the store who was shot.

A second woman inside the store was not injured as she ran from the store during the incident, according to police.

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Channel 9 spoke with a customer who said they entered the smoke shop just after the shooting.

One of them said he saw Elias leave the building with an assault rifle, so he went inside to see what happened.

They said they found the three victims and immediately started trying to help one of them.

“She was trying to lay back and relax. I said, ‘No, you need to keep adrenaline pumping.’ She wanted me to help put pressure on her wound, so what I did was I got a clean cloth and I put it on her chest. I grabbed her hand and told her to apply her own pressure. That’s gonna keep you up, keep your adrenaline pumping,” the customer said.

Elias has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was taken to the Rock Hill jail, according to police.

The Rock Hill Police Department said it is still investigating this incident. An internal review is also being completed by the Rock Hill Police Department Professional Standards Unit.

The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division will be conducting an independent investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

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