The life of De'Aruion Hickman, a 21-year-old young man, was tragically ended on a Saturday night in Bishopville, South Carolina. The shooting that killed the young Black male was one of two separate fatal incidents that occurred in Lee County on the evening of March 25, 2023, leaving the local community in a state of shock and mourning.
That night, De'Aruion was at Young's convenience store, located in the 400 block of Main Street in Bishopville, when he was fatally shot.
Lee County Coroner Larry Logan later confirmed his identity as the victim of the shooting. An autopsy was scheduled to determine his exact cause of death.
The Bishopville Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the homicide. Within days, Police Chief J.D. Dellinger announced that the investigation had led to the identification and arrest of two suspects in connection with De'Aruion's death.
Police took 19-year-old Zayquawn Malik Jones and 23-year-old Robert Don Peoples, Jr. into custody. Both men were charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime.
Following their arrests, Jones and Peoples were transported to the Sumter County Detention Center, where they were held while awaiting a bond hearing. As of late March 2023, the case against the two accused men was proceeding through the judicial system.
