CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. — A fun day turned chaotic after shots rang out at the Chester County Baseball Complex last week.
Megan Melton said she was there watching her loved ones play ball when the shots were fired. Her husband had just left the park moments before with their 1-year-old son.
“We heard like a gunshot… kind of just looked around and stopped for a minute and it started going off again and again and again and again," Melton said. "We all got the kids and rushed them to the cars and they just evacuated the whole ball field.”
The sheriff said they were investigating a deadly shooting elsewhere in the county when the shots were fired at the park.
"There was a lot of chaos and so our deputies immediately responded," Sheriff Max Dorsey said. "Canvassed the area to try to find where those shots came from or who those shots came from. We're still working that. That's an active, ongoing investigation.”
He said no one was shot and they don't believe the shooting was a random attack, but they have now increased security, including having a deputy present regularly.
“We’ve committed to have a deputy over there each night when practice and ballgames are going on," Dorsey said.
The sheriff adds the county is looking to improve park cameras and those under 18 must now be accompanied by an adult.
As the investigation continues, those who live and work in the area are just hoping for answers soon.
“Who did it? What happened, and why? And get it solved," Makeda Baker said. "That makes it all the more better, I think.”
Caitlyn Burch helps oversee the park and said safety is top of mind after it reopened this week following the shooting.
“We just ask for the community to continue to support us and not let just a couple bad apples ruin what it is that we’re trying to do for these kids out there," Burch said.
The search for suspects in both shootings is still active. Anyone with information they think can help should contact the Chester County Sheriff's Office.
Contact Kayland Hagwood at khagwood@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.