2 Teens Killed in Halloween-Night Shooting at Spartanburg Cook Out; No Arrests Yet

Two teenagers were killed and a third person was wounded in a Halloween-night shooting in the parking lot of a Cook Out restaurant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, police said. As of Monday morning, no suspects had been identified and no arrests had been announced.

The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office identified the two teenagers who died as Jayden Marek Watson, 15, and Shane Carter Dawkins, 17, both of Spartanburg. They were taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center after the shooting and pronounced dead shortly after midnight on Sunday, November 1.

Spartanburg Police Chief Art Littlejohn said officers were dispatched at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, to the Cook Out on John B. White Sr. Boulevard after multiple reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found Watson and Dawkins suffering from gunshot wounds in the restaurant’s parking lot. Both were treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.

Watson was pronounced dead at 12:04 a.m. on November 1, and Dawkins was pronounced dead at 12:10 a.m., according to the coroner’s office. A third person injured in the shooting was taken to hospital by a family member, and police said those injuries were not considered life-threatening. That person has not been publicly identified.

What happened on Halloween night

Police have not yet said what led to the gunfire, and investigators have not publicly described a motive or said whether the teenagers knew the person or people responsible. Littlejohn said the teenagers had been out after trick-or-treating and were getting something to eat when someone opened fire.

“What is so sad is that it’s young people, good young people, just out having a good time,” Littlejohn said. “If you’ve been a teenager before, you’ve been out before hanging with your friends, just having fun… the young people that were here were not bad young people.”

The shooting happened in a busy restaurant parking lot on a night when many families and young people were out for Halloween. Police have appealed to anyone who was at the restaurant that night, or who saw or heard anything connected to the shooting, to come forward. Littlejohn said investigators were working around the clock and urged witnesses to share what they know.

“They have names, they have families. They’re young people who grew up here and went to school here,” Littlejohn said.

Investigation still open, no suspects named

The Spartanburg Police Department is leading the investigation, with the Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office assisting. The coroner’s office said it was called to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center shortly after midnight and began a joint investigation with police after the teenagers were pronounced dead.

Forensic examinations were scheduled for both teenagers as investigators work to establish further details about their deaths. As of the morning of November 2, police had not identified any suspects, announced any arrests, or released a description of a suspect or vehicle.

That silence is common in the early stages of a homicide investigation, when detectives are still gathering witness accounts, reviewing any available video, and checking hospital and dispatch records. It also means several basic questions — who fired the shots, how many people were involved, and what happened in the moments before the shooting — remain unanswered in public reporting so far.

Police are asking anyone who was at the Cook Out on Saturday night, witnessed the shooting, or may have information about the case to contact the Spartanburg Police Department.

A separate Cook Out incident in Greenville

Hours after the Spartanburg shooting, three men were wounded in a stabbing at a separate Cook Out restaurant in Greenville, South Carolina, about 30 miles away. The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the Cook Out at 1820 Woodruff Road at about 12:50 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, after a 911 call about a disturbance.

When deputies arrived, they found one man suffering from at least one stab wound. He was taken to hospital for treatment. Investigators later learned that two other men had also been stabbed during the altercation. Those victims had left the scene before deputies arrived and drove themselves to hospital.

All three Greenville victims are expected to recover, according to the sheriff’s office. A suspect left the scene before law enforcement arrived, and deputies have not released information about what led to the altercation.

Authorities have not indicated that the two incidents are connected, and Greenville County deputies described the stabbing as appearing to be an isolated incident. The Greenville investigation remains active, and anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers of Greenville at 23-CRIME.

Part of a violent Halloween weekend

The Spartanburg deaths were among several fatal shootings reported across the United States over Halloween weekend, including incidents in Dallas, Birmingham, Newark, Bloomington and Fayetteville that left multiple people dead or wounded. In Dallas, four people were killed and 15 others were injured in three separate shootings in the Deep Ellum neighborhood on Halloween night, according to Dallas police.

Those cases are separate investigations, and there is no indication they are linked to Spartanburg. But together they have renewed attention on late-night violence in nightlife and restaurant areas on holiday weekends, when crowds are larger and many young people are out late.

In Spartanburg, the focus for now remains narrower: identifying who fired the shots in the Cook Out parking lot, and giving two families answers about a night that began with trick-or-treating and ended in a hospital emergency department.

NationWire will update this story as police release further information, including any suspect description, arrest, or statement on motive.

Frequently asked questions

Who were the victims in the Spartanburg Cook Out shooting?
The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office identified them as Jayden Marek Watson, 15, and Shane Carter Dawkins, 17, both of Spartanburg. Both died at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center shortly after midnight on November 1.

When and where did the shooting happen?
Police were dispatched at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, to the Cook Out on John B. White Sr. Boulevard in Spartanburg. The teenagers were found wounded in the restaurant’s parking lot.

Has anyone been arrested?
No. As of the morning of November 2, Spartanburg police said no suspects had been identified and no arrests had been announced.

Was anyone else injured?
Yes. A third person was injured in the Spartanburg shooting and was taken to hospital by a family member. Police said those injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Is the Greenville Cook Out stabbing connected?
Authorities have not indicated the two incidents are connected. Greenville County deputies described the stabbing, in which three men were wounded, as appearing to be an isolated incident.

How can witnesses help?
Spartanburg police are asking anyone who was at the restaurant on Saturday night or who witnessed the shooting to contact the Spartanburg Police Department with information.

Sources and related coverage

Spartanburg Herald-Journal (GoUpstate): Violence erupts at 2 Upstate SC Cook Out restaurants hours apart
WENG Radio: Two Teens Killed in Halloween-Night Shooting Outside Spartanburg Cook Out; No Suspects Named