Ronald Cleveland Brown III, a 39-year-old man, was killed shortly after midnight on July 5, 2026, when gunfire erupted during a large gathering in the 500 block of Solomon Street in Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina. Brown and another local man, Devante O. “Tweety” Elliott, were among three people struck by bullets during the violence.
Batesburg-Leesville police officers were dispatched to the neighborhood after receiving reports of a shooting.
When they arrived, they encountered a large crowd and found three victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Brown and Elliott were pronounced dead at the scene. The third victim was transported by Lexington County Emergency Medical Services to an area hospital with injuries that authorities did not believe were life-threatening.
Saluda County Coroner Angie Rita publicly identified Brown and Elliott later that day. Both victims were described as residents of the Batesburg-Leesville area. The shooting left their families and friends grieving while investigators worked to determine what caused the gunfire and who was responsible. Loved ones subsequently appealed to the community for information that could help police find answers.
The Batesburg-Leesville Police Department opened a double-homicide investigation and began processing the Solomon Street scene, interviewing witnesses and pursuing available leads. The Saluda County Coroner’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division were assisting with the investigation. Police also asked people who attended the gathering or were in the surrounding area to submit any photographs, recordings or information that might show what happened before, during or immediately after the shooting.
As of the latest publicly available reports, authorities had not announced an arrest, identified a suspect or disclosed a possible motive. No criminal charges, court proceedings or convictions had been reported in connection with Brown’s death. Investigators continued urging witnesses to cooperate, noting that information could be submitted anonymously through Midlands Crime Stoppers while the double-homicide investigation remained active.
