In the quiet community of Newberry, South Carolina, the life of 35-year-old Michael McKinsey Mathis was tragically cut short on the night of January 18, 2020. A Black/African American male, Mathis was inside a residence at 211 Brown Chapel Drive in the Helena section of Newberry when gunfire erupted outside. The Newberry County Sheriff's Office began receiving multiple calls about shots being fired in the area around 11:23 p.m.
In the chaotic moments that followed, another call came in, this time reporting a person in the street with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Before emergency medical services could arrive, a Good Samaritan transported Mathis to Newberry County Memorial Hospital. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to a fatal gunshot wound to the torso shortly after his arrival. The individual who drove him to the hospital, initially fearful of getting involved, was later identified by law enforcement and deemed a Good Samaritan. Investigators at the scene on Brown Chapel Drive discovered several spent rifle casings in the street and multiple bullet holes riddling the home where Mathis and another man were present when the shooting began.
The death of Michael McKinsey Mathis marked a grim milestone in Newberry County, as it was the first fatality in a string of drive-by shootings that had been escalating in the area since just before Christmas of 2019. In the wake of the shooting, the Newberry County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation, appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the identification of those responsible. Law enforcement officials reviewed surveillance footage from the surrounding area and urged residents with home security cameras to come forward with any potentially relevant video.
Despite these efforts, the investigation has yet to yield any suspects or a description of the vehicle used in the commission of the crime. The case remains an active and ongoing investigation, with authorities continuing to seek leads from the community. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Michael McKinsey Mathis, leaving his family and the community awaiting justice. The Newberry County Sheriff's Office and Crime Stoppers have continued to encourage anyone with information to come forward.
