GREENWOOD COUNTY — What started as a quiet Friday evening on Wheatfield Drive ended in heartbreak after a shooting left 37-year-old Demario V. Tolbert dead and a neighborhood in shock.
Deputies with the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office were called to 224 Wheatfield Drive after reports of a man shot inside a residence. When officers arrived, they found a tense and rapidly unfolding emergency situation already in motion.
Tolbert, who lived on Wheatfield Drive, was identified later by the Greenwood County Coroner’s Office as the victim. He was rushed to Self Regional Healthcare in critical condition as responders worked urgently to save his life.
Despite those efforts, Tolbert was pronounced dead at 8:49 p.m. The news hit hard for those who knew him, turning an ordinary evening into one filled with grief and disbelief.
Investigators say Tolbert and the suspect, Donald Antonio Andrews, were neighbors who had spent time together earlier that day. What exactly triggered the violence is still unclear, but officials confirmed the interaction escalated in a sudden and fatal turn.
Andrews remained at the scene and surrendered to law enforcement without further incident. He has since been charged in connection with the shooting as investigators continue working through what led to the deadly moment.
The sheriff’s office has described the case as isolated, noting there is no ongoing threat to the public. Still, detectives spent hours at the home collecting evidence and speaking with witnesses to piece together the final moments.
For Tolbert’s family and neighbors, the loss is both sudden and difficult to process. A familiar street is now marked by unanswered questions, as a community tries to make sense of how quickly things changed.
