On the evening of September 27, 2024, a violent confrontation erupted in a wooded area near Griffin Road in Woodruff, South Carolina, prompting a significant emergency response. Spartanburg County deputies were dispatched to the scene around 8:00 p.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival at the property, law enforcement officers discovered a chaotic scene where a dispute had escalated into a deadly exchange of gunfire.
The incident resulted in the deaths of three
individuals who were found at the location. Among the deceased was Nicolas Long, a 22-year-old White male from Greenville, South Carolina. The other two victims were identified as Paul Higgins, 38, and Jeremy Faulkner, 34, both residents of Woodruff. Authorities also learned that a fourth individual had been shot during the altercation but survived. This unidentified person was transported by a private vehicle to a hospital in Simpsonville for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators determined that the violence stemmed from a disagreement regarding hunting permissions on the land. Witnesses and family members indicated that the argument began over who had the right to access the specific property for hunting purposes before spiraling out of control. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office conducted a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, interviewing witnesses and analyzing the evidence to understand the sequence of events that led to the loss of three lives.
Following the conclusion of their inquiry, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office announced that the case was officially closed. Law enforcement officials stated that after reviewing the facts, no criminal charges would be filed in connection with the deaths of Long, Higgins, and Faulkner. The decision indicated that the investigation did not produce grounds for prosecution, leaving the community to grapple with the tragic finality of the hunting dispute without a criminal trial.
