Anferny Devon Freeman

Mass Murderer

Anferny Devon Freeman and the 2025 St. Helena Island Mass Shooting

The Shooting at Willie's Bar and Grill

Anferny Devon Freeman was charged in connection with a mass shooting that killed four people and wounded 15 others at Willie's Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. The violence erupted shortly before 1:00 a.m. on October 12, 2025, while hundreds of people were gathered at the establishment following events associated with a Battery Creek High School class reunion weekend. Freeman has been accused of participating in the gun battle, but the charges against him remain allegations unless proven in court. Approximately 350 people were reportedly inside or around the crowded bar when the shooting began. Investigators said the incident appeared to grow out of a hostile encounter involving Freeman and 22-year-old Kashawn Smalls-Glaze. Authorities alleged that Freeman and Smalls-Glaze exchanged gunfire inside the packed establishment. A possible third gunman was also identified through the examination of shell casings, bullets, recorded video and witness statements. Gunfire spread panic throughout the building. Patrons rushed toward exits, hid behind furniture and fled to nearby businesses and residences. Emergency responders arrived to find numerous people suffering from gunshot wounds. Some victims were transported by ambulance, while others were taken to hospitals in private vehicles. Four people died, and 15 additional victims were wounded. Freeman was also shot in the stomach and was driven to a hospital for treatment.

The Victims

The four people killed came from communities in and around Beaufort County. They included young adults attending the gathering as well as a security worker who was reportedly present at the bar when the violence began.

• Kashawn Smalls-Glaze, 22 Smalls-Glaze was from Beaufort, South Carolina. He was killed during the October 12, 2025, shooting at Willie's Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island. Investigators later said evidence indicated that he had fired a weapon during the confrontation and exchanged gunfire with Freeman.
• Chiraad Smalls, 33 Smalls was a Beaufort resident who was fatally shot at Willie's Bar and Grill during the early-morning violence on October 12, 2025.
• A'shan'tek Milledge, 22 Milledge, a resident of Burton, South Carolina, was killed at the bar on October 12, 2025. Reports indicated that she was the daughter of a Battery Creek High School graduate and had gone to the establishment after an earlier alumni gathering.
• Amos Gary, 55 Gary lived on St. Helena Island and was reportedly working as a security guard at Willie's Bar and Grill. He was killed during the shooting on October 12, 2025.

Fifteen surviving victims suffered gunshot injuries of varying severity. Several were initially reported to be in critical condition. The youngest person known to have been wounded was reportedly a 17-year-old girl. Authorities did not immediately release a complete public list of the surviving victims because of medical privacy concerns and the continuing criminal investigation.

The Investigation

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office led the investigation with assistance from the Beaufort Police Department, Port Royal Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and federal prosecutors. Investigators collected a large quantity of physical evidence from the scene, including spent cartridge cases, bullets, firearms-related evidence and possible DNA. Video from inside and outside the bar became an important part of the inquiry. Investigators attempted to reconstruct where each shooter had been standing and determine which bullets had been fired from particular weapons. The large number of shots fired within a brief period raised concerns that at least one firearm may have been illegally modified to fire automatically or at an unusually rapid rate. The investigation was initially complicated by the reluctance of witnesses to identify the people who had fired weapons. Hundreds of patrons had been present, but officials said many people left without speaking to investigators. Sheriff P.J. Tanner publicly appealed for witnesses to cooperate and said detectives believed that two or three people had fired indiscriminately during the confrontation. As additional witnesses came forward, investigators said they were able to combine their statements with ballistic evidence and recorded footage. Authorities alleged that the shooting began after an unfriendly encounter between Freeman and Smalls-Glaze. Investigators did not publicly determine which man fired first, explaining that the exact sequence of events would ultimately be addressed through the court process. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Kashawn Smalls-Glaze 22 yr old Male

Additional charges filed in the October 2025 shooting at Willie's Bar and Grill