Williams O’Neil Jr., a 23-year-old Black / African American male from Sumter, South Carolina, died after a shooting on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. What began as a domestic dispute inside a home on North Magnolia Street turned deadly around 5:30 p.m., when Sumter police were called to the residence after reports of gunfire. Officers arrived and found O’Neil wounded from gunshots inside the home.
O’Neil, who was reported to be from Boulevard Road, was rushed to Prisma Health Tuomey
Hospital. Despite the emergency response, he later died from his injuries. Two other people were also hurt during the incident, though police described their injuries as minor, and they were treated at the scene rather than transported for more serious care. The Sumter County Coroner’s Office scheduled an autopsy for later that week as investigators continued working to piece together what happened inside the home.
Police described the shooting as isolated and connected to the domestic dispute, indicating they did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the broader public. In the days after O’Neil’s death, investigators publicly sought 20-year-old Vishawn Montrie Witherspoon of Manning, saying he may have information related to the fatal shooting. Authorities released his name as a person they wanted to locate and question, asking anyone who knew where he was to contact the Sumter Police Department or the nearest law enforcement agency.
As of the available reports, Witherspoon was described as a person of interest or someone who may have information, not as a charged suspect. The online reports reviewed did not confirm that any arrest had been made, and they did not list formal charges, a court appearance, trial, or conviction connected to O’Neil’s death. Police continued asking the public for tips, including anonymous information through Sumter Crime Stoppers, while the investigation remained active.
