In the early morning hours of November 1, 2015, a birthday celebration at the Drayton Community Center in Newberry, South Carolina, turned tragic. Richard Devell Sims, a 24-year-old male, was shot multiple times following an altercation at the party, which was attended by approximately 300 people. He was pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds to the chest.
Sims was an Army veteran and a member of the Wateree AME Church.
The Newberry Police Department began an investigation into the shooting. Through witness statements, authorities identified 31-year-old Christopher Omar Cromer of Columbia as the suspect. An acquaintance of Sims, Cromer had a criminal record that included charges for drug possession, resisting arrest, and distribution of drugs near a school. Following the issuance of arrest warrants, Cromer turned himself in to the police.
Christopher Omar Cromer was charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. A second individual was also shot during the incident but survived their injuries. After his arrest, Cromer invoked his right to counsel and did not provide a statement to investigators. He was subsequently booked into the Newberry County Detention Center to await a bond hearing. The Newberry Police Department continued to appeal to the public for more witnesses to come forward as the investigation remained active. Information regarding a trial or conviction in this case is not publicly available.
