A man is in custody after a shooting on High Hill Drive in Moncks Corner left another man with a gunshot wound Thursday morning. Officers with the Moncks Corner Police Department responded to the area around 11:23 a.m. and found one man suffering from the injury, and he was transported to a local medical facility with non-life-threatening injuries.
Martel Dekaris Gaddis was taken into custody and now faces a sweeping list of charges tied to the incident, according to WCBD News 2. Those charges include attempted murder, pointing and presenting a firearm, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and armed robbery. The additional detail about the victim's condition and the specific timeline of the police response was reported separately by WCIV.
Moncks Corner police say Gaddis also has additional charges associated with the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, though the details of those separate charges have not been disclosed.
Chief Calls Investigation Active and Ongoing
Moncks Corner Police Chief Antwan Richardson said the subject is in custody, the investigation remains active and ongoing, and accountability is a priority. Richardson added that the department is committed to thoroughly investigating and addressing crimes within the law.
“Random acts of violence have no place in the community,” Richardson said, adding that the department will act to protect residents and maintain public safety. Richardson took over permanent leadership of the department in January after serving as interim chief and captain following the sudden resignation of former Chief Lee Mixon Jr. in December 2025, according to the Post and Courier. He brings more than 15 years of law enforcement experience across patrol, K-9, and corrections work.
What Gaddis Could Face Under State Sentencing Law
The charges against Gaddis carry some of the stiffest mandatory penalties in South Carolina's criminal code. Under South Carolina Code § 16-3-29, attempted murder is classified as a Class A felony carrying a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and state law explicitly prohibits probation or suspended sentences upon conviction, according to Justia Law.
Armed robbery carries its own severe baseline. South Carolina Code § 16-11-330 classifies the offense as a violent Class A felony with a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 30 years, also without the possibility of a suspended sentence, per the Law Office of Jonathan Harvey. On top of that, South Carolina Code § 16-23-490 provides a mandatory additional five-year sentence for possessing or displaying a firearm during a violent crime, with no eligibility for parole or work release; the sentence may run concurrently or consecutively with the punishment for the principal violent crime. The felon-in-possession charge stands as its own distinct offense under state law, creating criminal liability independent of the attempted murder and robbery charges stemming from the same incident.
A Fast-Growing Town Under Scrutiny
U.S. Census Bureau estimates show Moncks Corner's population reached 20,612 residents by July 2025, a 54.8% increase from the 2020 census baseline of 13,311.
Key details about the case remain undisclosed, including the relationship, if any, between Gaddis and the victim and the specific circumstances behind the armed robbery charge. The investigation remains active, and no additional details on the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office charges have been released.
