In the early morning hours of a September day in Beaufort, South Carolina, the life of a young man from St. Helena Island was tragically cut short. Twenty-year-old James Jenkins, a male, was at the Cross Creek Apartments on Ambrose Run when gunfire shattered the peace. Just before 2:30 a.m., law enforcement received reports of shots fired and rushed to the scene.
There, in a third-floor apartment, they found Jenkins suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical personnel provided immediate aid to Jenkins before he was transported to Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 4:25 a.m. Investigators at the apartment complex discovered evidence of the violent encounter, including shell casings and blood in the building's stairway.
The Beaufort Police Department, with assistance from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, launched an investigation into the fatal shooting. A property manager at the apartment complex reported seeing a vehicle, possibly a silver Infiniti, leaving the area shortly after the gunshots were heard. However, a review of security footage from the leasing office did not yield a clear identification of the suspect's vehicle.
In the days following the shooting, authorities publicly identified James Jenkins as the victim. The investigation into his death was announced as ongoing, with law enforcement appealing to the public for any information that might lead to the apprehension of those responsible. As of late 2025, no suspects have been publicly named, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the death of James Jenkins.
