Gunfire seriously injures two at Forest Glen

By DEUCE NIVEN

tribdeuce@tabor-loris.com

     Two people were seriously injured in a shooting at Forest Glen Apartments Monday night, with a nearby resident quickly who fled on foot quickly surrendering to police, Maj. Russell Conway of the Tabor City Police Department said.

     Trasmine Hemingway, 30, of nearby Forest Edge Apartments was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and discharging a weapon into occupied property, a warrant and Columbus County Detention Center records showed.

     Hemingway was held under a $125,000 secured bond.

     Police and EMS were dispatched shortly after 9 p.m. Monday to the Forest Glen apartment of Donnie Lee McCrea, 45, Conway said. McCrea and Joshua Kendrick Little, 31, of Cedar Branch Road, Loris, had both been shot and were seriously injured.

     A landing zone was quickly established by the Tabor City Fire Department and McCrea was flown to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, Little was taken by ground to Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach.

     Both were listed in serious but stable condition on Tuesday, Conway said.

Cousins

     Hemingway and Little are cousins, Conway said, and were engaged in a verbal dispute that turned in to a physical altercation that “became violent,” Conway said.

     Police believe Hemingway intended to shoot Little, and that McCrea was an accidental victim.

     “Mr. Hemingway was at Mr. McCrea’s apartment to see him, they are friends,” Conway said.

     It’s not clear where the shooting began, Conway said. Shell casings found outside of the apartment indicated the gunfire may have begun there, then moved inside, and was the basis for the shooting into occupied property charge, Conway said.

     Both Little and McCrea were shot with a Glock 19 handgun, the warrant said.

Quick surrender

     Hemingway fled the shooting on foot, making his way across US 701, down Elizabeth Street, and over to Pireway Road where he knocked on a door.

     “He went to a lady’s home, asked her to call 911, and said he had shot some people,” Conway said.

     Lt. Jeffery Grainger quickly located Hemingway and took him into custody.

     “There were no issues, he surrendered,” Conway said. “He had thrown his backpack, with the gun and ID in the woods. He told us where, which was extremely helpful.”

     Police conducted a lengthy interview with Hemingway at the police department, until nearly 5 a.m. Tuesday, Police Chief Donald Dowless said. Hemingway was booked at the detention center in Whiteville at 5:18 a.m., jail records showed.

     Look for more on this story in this week’s Tabor-Loris Tribune in print and online Wednesday.