Arrests in Santee Fatal Shooting

6/25/2012 - Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell announces the arrest of 4 area males in connection with the fatal shooting in the Santee area Thursday.

Ravenell explains "Santee Police Department made the initial contact with the male victim of the shooting at approximately 4 p.m. Thursday near a business at Bass Drive and Britain Street. Our investigation indicates that one of the suspects, who had an ongoing disagreement with the male victim, saw the male victim cashing a check at a local store. The male victim left the store and Deshawn Fordham and Donte Stokes opened fire on the male victim's vehicle in the roadway of Highway 6 near Live Oak Church striking the female victim. The male victim was able to drive away and notified law enforcement at a business in Santee. The male victim was able to provide a description of the suspect vehicle. Field Service Units, Special Operations Units, and Investigators immediately saturated the area and were able to determine possible exit routes for the suspects. Special Operations Investigator Harter observed a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle traveling towards Orangeburg on Highway 301. Within an hour of the shooting, the individuals were detained and being questioned.

We believe we have recovered the weapons used during the shooting and they are currently being processed."

Ravenell concludes "These officers worked throughout the night to determine the incident location and the actual timeline of events, locate forensic evidence at the scene and in the vehicle and to charge three suspects with murder and one with accessory.

The number of violent crimes that have taken place in Orangeburg County in unacceptable. Although our agency has made an arrest in every murder investigation, enough is enough! I want to be very clear - if you commit a crime in Orangeburg County, we are coming after you with everything we have! And after we lock you up, Solicitor David Pascoe and his team are going to make sure you go to jail for a long time!"

Deshaun Jamel Fordham, Donte Jarod Stokes, and Jerry Jarell McKnight are charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Demetric Deontre Quattlebaum is charged with accessory before the fact to a felony.