In the quiet town of Newberry, South Carolina, a Saturday evening in late September of 2020 was shattered by an act of senseless violence that claimed the life of a beloved community member. Carolyn Dawkins Sims, a 72-year-old woman, was fatally wounded on Holloway Street as she was getting out of her vehicle. According to police reports, a car and a truck were engaged in a shootout, and tragically, a stray bullet struck Mrs. Sims.
Even in her final moments, she was able to tell officers what had happened before being rushed to the hospital. While en route to the Prisma Health Richland Trauma Center, she went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly, and within days, the Newberry Police Department announced the arrest of four individuals in connection with the fatal shooting. The suspects were identified as 22-year-old Terrance Christopher Dukquan Abrams, 29-year-old Kiddiocus Dajohn Johnson, and 17-year-old Oshavius Markeis Johnson, all from Newberry. A 16-year-old juvenile was also taken into custody. Despite his age, authorities stated that Oshavius Johnson would be charged as an adult. The four individuals faced serious charges, including murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature. The police chief expressed his condolences to the family and affirmed his department's commitment to curbing gun violence and holding those responsible for this tragedy accountable. The investigation remained ongoing, with the possibility of additional arrests.
