On November 23, 2014, a violent incident claimed the life of Charlie "Mardy" Jackson Jr., a 23-year-old Black male from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The fatal encounter occurred in the early morning hours outside of Universal Events, a nightclub located on Southport Road near the Spartanburg Downtown Airport. Jackson, who was a native of the area and a father, had been at the venue with friends when a dispute began inside the club between his group and another group of individuals from Cherokee
County. Security personnel at the establishment intervened and dispersed the altercation, instructing everyone involved to leave the premises.
The conflict did not end with the ejection from the club but instead escalated in the parking lot. As Jackson walked toward his vehicle with a friend, a dark blue Chevrolet pickup truck pulled up alongside them. An exchange of heated words took place through the open window of the truck. During the confrontation, Jackson reportedly tossed a bottle at the vehicle, prompting the driver to retaliate with lethal force. The driver fired a weapon through the window, striking Jackson in the chest. The truck then sped away from the scene, leaving the young man mortally wounded. He later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators utilized photographs taken inside the club earlier that night to identify the individuals involved in the initial altercation. Witnesses provided crucial details, including the description of the dark blue Chevrolet pickup used by the shooter. Law enforcement issued a regional alert for the vehicle, which led to a breakthrough later that same morning. Officers with the Gaffney Police Department spotted the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, taking two men inside into custody without incident. The primary suspect was identified as Shedrick Andre Savage, who was 32 years old at the time of the shooting. A second man, Rashawn Miller, was also initially identified as a suspect who had been in the vehicle.
Forensic evidence played a key role in the subsequent legal proceedings. Although the murder weapon was not immediately recovered, tests performed on Savage revealed the presence of gunshot residue. In November 2016, nearly two years after the killing, Shedrick Andre Savage stood trial for the death of Charlie Jackson Jr. After a two-day trial, a jury found him guilty of murder. Circuit Judge Roger Couch sentenced Savage to 30 years in prison. Authorities noted that Savage had a prior criminal record, which included convictions for drug offenses and possession of a firearm by a felon.
