A late-night argument on a busy Charleston street escalated into deadly gunfire, leaving one young man dead and two bystanders wounded in the heart of the city’s popular entertainment district.
Andre Ramon Nesbit, 35, of Charleston, has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting that occurred early Sunday morning outside Gilroy’s Pizza Pub. The incident has raised concerns about public safety in the historic downtown area frequented by tourists and locals.
The shooting took place around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2026, on King Street near Burns Lane in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Police Department officers responded to reports of gunfire and located three victims with gunshot wounds at the scene. Officers applied multiple tourniquets and bandages to aid the victims before transporting them to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
One of the victims, 25-year-old Erick George of West Ashley, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The other two victims, uninvolved bystanders, sustained injuries but are expected to survive. Detectives determined that Nesbit and George had a brief argument on the sidewalk outside Gilroy’s Pizza Pub at 353 King Street before Nesbit opened fire.
Andre Ramon Nesbit faces charges of murder, two counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. He remains in custody without bond. Police have stated the incident was not random and was not initiated by the victims.
Responding officers provided critical life-saving aid at the scene amid a chaotic environment with crowds in the area. The quick police response helped stabilize the wounded bystanders. The investigation remains active as detectives gather additional evidence and witness statements from the busy nightlife corridor.
This fatal shooting has prompted community concern and statements from city leaders about addressing violence in downtown Charleston. Erick George’s death has left family and friends grieving a young man whose life was taken suddenly during what began as a minor dispute on a public sidewalk.
