Graniteville 19-year-old dies after being shot in head

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A shooting in Aiken has claimed the life of a Graniteville 19-year-old.

The victim, identified as Amari Williams, will be autopsied in Newberry.

The shooting happened about 7:20 p.m. Monday on Redd Street near Tennessee Avenue in Aiken, according to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables.

Williams was found inside a vehicle parked in front of Redd Street Park, according to the Aiken Department of Public Safety.

Williams’ fiancée, Cesilie Weatherford, was in the passenger seat when a car came up and someone shot into the window.

He had suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was transported to Aiken Regional Medical Center by Emergency Medical Services.

He succumbed to his injury at 7:57 p.m.

We spoke with Williams’ mother who says she only began grieving Williams’ brother who died just four months ago.

It was a routine trip to the park. Williams, Weatherford, and their 17-year-old friend were waiting for Williams’ nephew to make the trip down the street. It ended with a family now crying for help.

“Sitting there, just playing music. Chilling in the car,” said Weatherford.

It was one minute, one moment she’ll never forget.

“They pointed to the girl in the backseat just like this. Then they drove to the stop sign. They stopped. They backed up. I laid down to try to protect myself and I laid in his lap until he died,” said Weatherford.

Courtney Davis, Williams’ mother, said: “I hit the floor just not again. Not again. And I didn’t want to believe it.”

It’s the second son Davis has lost in four months. Williams’ brother, Quan, died in January of an accidental overdose.

Weatherford says this was no accident.

“It seemed it was meant for her because we stayed home. The only time we came to Aiken was to drop off my son. And when we would drop him off, we would hang out with her,” said Weatherford.

Now, they’re left begging why.

Davis said: “Turn yourself in. I ain’t have to lose my baby, he had plans, he wanted to do things with his life. They’re not even making it to 35 now. My baby was 19.”

Ables’ office and the Aiken Department of Public Safety are continuing with the investigation.

We reached out to the Aiken Department of Public Safety. They say while this is an ongoing investigation they do not feel as though there are any ongoing safety threats stemming from this, but they confirmed it does not appear to be a random act.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety asked that anyone with information call 803-642-7620 or submit an anonymous online tip at www.cityofaikensc.gov/offices/public-safety/crime-tip.

The deadly shooting is the latest in an outbreak of violence that’s claimed more than 90 lives in a little over a year across the CSRA.

The outbreak has affected communities large and small on both sides of the Savannah River, with many of the victims, like Williams, being young men. Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.

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