News 12 @ 6 o'clock -- August 21, 2009

BLACKVILLE, S.C. --- Two brothers--one dead, the other in a hospital. Police say both were shot at a popular hangout known as "The Hill" in Blackville. They say this all started from a fight between the suspect and one of the victims.

Today was a calm day on "The Hill", but that wasn't the case early yesterday afternoon. Police say shots fired by Demetrius Smalls killed Terrance Mayes and injured his brother Zentrell Mayes.

"I woke up this morning, looked out the door because he usually cuts grass and I just looked and started shedding tears, thinking he ain't gone, he's still here. But he's gone, he really is gone," said friend of the family Shantevia Rice.

"It just hurt me. I couldn't take it, he's no longer with me," said Whitney Mayes of her brother.

Whitney Mayes was there when her two brothers were shot. She saw 21-year-old Terrance get hit in the chest.

Both law enforcement and people in the community say the Hill has become a hot spot for trouble that needs to be stopped.

Back in January, 19-year-old Christopher Dorch was shot and killed at a gas station on the Hill. What happened to him and Terrance leaves a community reaching out.

"Something needs to be done. We got to do something about this crime thing around here. Something because if they don't, it's going to be more and more," said family friend Victoria Thomas.

"We want to assure the citizens that the officers will be out on patrol and in the neighborhoods and continuing to be vigilant and performing their duties," said Blackville Police Chief John Holston.

Now as a family tries to cope with the latest murder on the Hill, people say they hope officers can stop the next shooting before it's too late.

Officers say Demetrius Smalls is in the Barnwell County jail charged with murder, assault and battery with intent to kill and possession of a firearm. It's the second murder in five years for the town.