In the warm evening of May 19, 2020, a visit to a friend's home in Aiken, South Carolina, turned tragic for Eugene Simpkins, a 35-year-old Black male from Augusta, Georgia. While sitting outside the Colony Woods Apartments on Laurens Street, the night was shattered by the sound of multiple gunshots. An unknown vehicle had driven by, its occupants firing indiscriminately and fatally wounding Simpkins.
The incident occurred around 8:45 p.m., and though authorities were quick to respond,
the assailants had already vanished into the night, leaving a community in shock. The Aiken County Coroner, Darryl Ables, pronounced Simpkins dead at the scene at 9:05 p.m., having sustained at least one gunshot wound. The following day, an autopsy was scheduled in Newberry to officially determine the cause of death, though the fatal gunshot wound left little doubt.
The Aiken Department of Public Safety immediately launched an investigation into the drive-by shooting. They appealed to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Various channels for anonymous tips were provided, including a dedicated phone line, a mobile app, and an online submission form, in the hopes that a crucial piece of evidence would emerge.
Despite these efforts, the investigation into Eugene Simpkins' murder has yielded no arrests or publicly identified suspects. The case has grown cold, leaving his family and friends without answers and a community still searching for justice. The memory of the evening a friendly visit turned into a fatal encounter lingers, as the search for those who cut his life short remains unresolved.
