In the quiet community of Goose Creek, South Carolina, the life of 38-year-old Katie Sullivan was tragically cut short in what authorities are investigating as a murder-attempted suicide. On a Tuesday in September 2024, deputies from the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on Keenan Avenue after receiving a call from a neighbor about a domestic disturbance involving gunshots.
This tip from a concerned neighbor was crucial in leading law enforcement to the scene in a timely manner.
Upon their arrival, deputies were met with signs of a struggle at the home. After unsuccessful attempts to make contact with anyone inside, they entered the residence to conduct a safety sweep. It was then that they made the grim discovery of Katie Sullivan's body; she had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her death is being investigated as a homicide by both the Berkeley County Coroner's Office and the Sheriff's Office.
As deputies continued to secure the home, they found 31-year-old Michael Scott Vasko, also a resident of Goose Creek, with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Vasko was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. Preliminary investigations have identified Sullivan as the victim and Vasko as the suspected shooter, with criminal charges pending against him.
Remembered as a cherished individual, Katie's passing has deeply impacted the Goose Creek community, where friends and family are mourning the profound loss. Her obituary confirms that she was a victim of domestic violence. Originally from the Northeast, where she graduated from high school in Amesbury, she had relocated to South Carolina, working for many years as a hairstylist before becoming a dental technician, a profession she loved.
