UPDATE — Shooting victims identified; investigation continues

By Paul Keane

The Wayne County News

The three victims in an early Wednesday morning shooting have been

identified, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies from the Sheriff's Department, officers from the Waynesboro

Police Department and emergency personnel from Wayne General Hospital

all responded to a call in the parking lot of Deep Well Energy Services

on Highway 184 (Old Highway 84) around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday. Officers

with the WPD secured the scene while hospital personnel treated the

victims for gunshot wounds. Once deputies with the WCSO arrived on the

scene, the investigation was turned over to them since the incident

happened in the county and not the city limits of Waynesboro.

According to WCSO Chief Deputy Jason Wiggins, three victims were found

in a vehicle that had stopped in the parking lot of Deep Well.

"A female called, Daphne Hardy, called 9-1-1 and said three people,

including herself, had been shot by a moving vehicle," Wiggins said.

"She said the vehicle she was in was traveling eastbound on Highway 84

when a small brown car came up from the rear of their vehicle at a high

rate of speed.

"When the small brown car pulled into the left lane to pass, someone

inside the brown car shot into the car that Hardy was traveling in."

All three victims were transported to Wayne General Hospital, where

David Hutchinson, 43, was pronounced dead. Wiggins said he suffered a

gunshot wound in the back that traveled through his chest.

Hardy suffered two gunshot wounds --- one in the left shoulder and one

in the left forearm --- while Gregory Campbell was struck by a bullet

once in the abdomen. He was later transported to Forrest General

Hospital.

Wiggins said that Campbell was driving the vehicle that was shot at

while Hardy was in the front passenger seat and Hutchinson was in the

back seat behind the driver's seat.

"There were nine bullet holes in the vehicle," Wiggins said. "Deputies

also fond methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and an undisclosed amount

of cash in the vehicle. Both survivors stated that the deceased was a

drug dealer.

"This is a possible drug deal gone bad or it could have been a domestic

incident. We have received reports that numerous women have indicated

they were involved in a relationship with the deceased."

The vehicle was towed to the Sheriff's Department and secured inside a

gated area so that it could be processed as the investigation continues.

Wiggins said the shooting is not related to past shootings involving

juveniles and young adults.

"This has absolutely nothing to do with the shootings that took place

before we made two recent arrests," he said. "I want the people of Wayne

County to feel secure that we've stopped the shootings amongst our young

people."

The case is an active investigation and suspects are being sought.