Deputies said a targeted attack wounded an intended victim, a shopper and a store employee.
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — Three teenagers were arrested after deputies said gunfire broke out inside a Cane Bay Publix late Thursday, injuring three people and sending shoppers and employees running from the State Road grocery store.
The shooting shook a fast-growing community where the Publix at 1724 State Road is a regular stop for families. Berkeley County investigators said the attack was targeted, but two bystanders were hit as the intended victim ran through the store. The case now centers on a 17-year-old charged as an adult and two 16-year-olds accused of helping after the shooting.
Deputies responded to the store just before 9 p.m. Thursday after reports of a shooting. Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis said the incident was not an active shooter attack, but a targeted shooting inside the grocery store. Investigators said Antwan Green, 17, and two 16-year-old males entered the Publix looking for an intended victim. Once they found the person, deputies said Green pulled a handgun and opened fire. The victim ran through the aisles trying to get away as customers and workers were nearby. Lewis said the targeted victim was shot at least twice and taken into surgery Thursday night. Two others, a shopper and a Publix employee, were also wounded.
Authorities said the woman who was hit had been shopping with her children. A Publix employee working near the self-checkout area was also struck by gunfire. Deputies found the intended victim near the front of the store with multiple gunshot wounds. The bystander and employee had injuries described as minor, while the targeted victim’s injuries were more serious. Investigators have not released the names of the three people who were shot. Deputies said the shooting moved through the store, including one aisle where the intended victim tried to avoid the gunfire. The motive for the alleged targeting had not been publicly released, and officials had not said whether the victim and suspects knew one another before the shooting.
Jeremiah Riel said he was inside the store with his 12-year-old and 8-year-old sons, shopping for Mother’s Day flowers and cards, when he heard loud popping sounds from deeper inside the store. “At first we thought something fell off of the shelving,” Riel said. He then heard repeated shots and saw panic spread as shoppers moved toward the exits. “It was complete chaos, just a frenzy,” Riel said. “Everybody just completely was tripping over themselves.” Riel said he got his children outside, then went back in to help people who were hurt. He said he saw an injured Publix employee near the front of the store with a gunshot wound to her leg.
After the shooting, deputies said Green and one other suspect ran toward the back of Cane Bay near Black Tom Road. A third suspect went to a nearby gas station and tried to get a ride from a stranger, investigators said. Deputies said the person did not drive him, ordered an Uber and later gave law enforcement information that helped locate the suspect. Green was found by K-9 teams while fleeing through the neighborhood, authorities said. The sheriff’s office said all three suspects were taken into custody within hours. Deputies said they arrived within one minute of being dispatched, and a heavy law enforcement presence remained in the area while officers secured the scene and gathered evidence.
Green was charged as an adult with three counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was taken to the Hill-Finklea Detention Center, where a judge later denied bond. The two 16-year-old suspects were charged with accessory after the fact of a felony and taken to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. Their names were not released because of their ages. Lewis called the shooting a senseless act of violence that put families, children and workers in danger. “Residents should never have to experience this kind of chaos while simply shopping for groceries,” Lewis said.
The shooting also sent people into nearby businesses. Employees at Famulari’s Pizzeria, located near the Publix, said they helped shelter people who fled the store. Britney Fromen, an employee at the restaurant, said someone came in and reported the shooting, and workers moved quickly to bring people inside. “It was pretty traumatic,” Fromen said. “I’m pretty sure a lot of people are still shook up over this.” The restaurant’s owner, Pete Celia, said staff sheltered about 10 Publix employees, locked down the building and tried to keep people calm until the danger passed. Other employees checked doors and windows as police moved through the area.
Residents said the shooting felt personal because the grocery store is part of daily life in Cane Bay. Mark Harris, a resident, said many families know the people who work there. “This Publix is our daily grocery store,” Harris said. “We know the people that work there.” Harris said he and his wife brought pizza to Publix employees Friday as a show of support. Another resident, Christen Jones, said many people were relieved by the quick police response. Others said the violence was unusual for the area, but the shooting left parents, shoppers and store workers shaken as the business reopened and the criminal case moved forward.
Investigators had not announced a motive or released the victims’ names as of Monday. Green remained charged as an adult, while the two younger suspects were moving through the juvenile justice system.
Author note: Last updated Monday, May 11, 2026.