In what has been described as an isolated incident, 52-year-old Rose Helen Kewlani of West Columbia, South Carolina, was fatally shot on a Monday morning on Interstate 26. The shooting occurred on the westbound side of the interstate near exit 82, the junction for Prosperity. Kewlani was inside a vehicle when she was shot. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
The suspect in the shooting was identified as 45-year-old Wilfrido George Luna, also of
West Columbia. After the shooting, Luna reportedly fled the scene, running across the interstate. His escape attempt included an alleged carjacking of a tractor-trailer. The search for Luna prompted security measures at several local schools, including lockdowns at Mid-Carolina High School and Mid-Carolina Middle School, which lasted for less than 30 minutes.
Following a brief pursuit and a standoff, Wilfrido George Luna was apprehended by law enforcement in the parking lot of the Mid-Carolina Country Club. He has since been charged with murder and is being held at the Newberry County Detention Center. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is assisting the Newberry County Sheriff's Office in the ongoing investigation. Authorities have not yet released a motive for the shooting or details regarding the relationship between Kewlani and Luna. Sheriff Lee Foster assured the public that there was no ongoing danger.
