In the early morning hours of October 30, 2022, a dispute that began at a local bar in Johnsonville, South Carolina, escalated into a fatal shooting, claiming the life of 45-year-old Charles Britt McKenzie Jr. The male victim was a well-known and beloved member of the community, involved in several local businesses including Three Brothers Tree Service and J.R. Construction.
The incident unfolded around 4 a.m.
on Second Neck Road after an argument that started at a bar on First Neck Road. As patrons were leaving the establishment, gunfire erupted. McKenzie was discovered to have been shot multiple times while he was driving his vehicle. He was transported to Lake City Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Following an investigation into the shooting, authorities arrested 22-year-old Griffin Austin Fenters of Lake City. Fenters was taken into custody and charged with murder, attempted murder, and multiple counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, discharging a firearm into a vehicle, and pointing and presenting a firearm. Investigators allege that Fenters fired at McKenzie multiple times, which led to his death. Fenters was held at the Florence County Sheriff's Office to await a bond hearing as the investigation into McKenzie's death continued.
