Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Union, SC: Police: Man Shot Woman Several Times, Then Self

Shooting Takes Place At Popular Park

POSTED: 3:33 pm EDT July 26, 2011
UPDATED: 4:30 pm EDT July 26, 2011
UNION, S.C. -- Police say a man went to a picnic area at a popular park where he killed a woman and then himself in front of a group of children at the park for an outing.
Union Public Safety said that they were called to Veterans Park about the shooting at about 1 p.m. Tuesday.
In a release, police said that 21-year-old Rosemary Lee was attending a picnic at the park with her family, and 34-year-old Kerry Brown came to the park. Both Lee and Brown were from Union.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, investigators were unsure of what happened at the park before the shooting. Investigators were still talking with witnesses trying to sort things out.
Investigators said Brown shot Lee several times before turning the semi-automatic pistol on himself.
There were also several children from Fairfield County Recreation Department in the park at the time of the shooting, the release said. None of the children was injured, but they were in close proximity to the shooting.
Counseling for the children is being provided by Fairfield County Sheriff's Office in Fairfield.
Police said Brown had an extensive criminal record dating back to 1996. Brown was a convicted felon and could not lawfully possess a firearm, police said.
The park is located near Arthur Boulevard and Lakeside Drive.
A woman at the scene told News 4 that she knew Brown. She said that Lee was Brown's girlfriend, but police have not confirmed that.
Witnesses said the shooting took place at a picnic shelter No. 3.
News 4’s Mike McCormick was at the scene and said many people who knew Brown and Lee were coming to the park to see the scene and talk about what happened.
One man said he knew Brown for 10 years. He said Brown and Lee were boyfriend and girlfriend and she was pregnant. He said both had children from other relationships.

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