A shooting reportedly connected to a Cook Out restaurant along John B. White Sr. Boulevard in Spartanburg is under investigation after it was reported Saturday night. Authorities have released few details so far, and it remains unclear exactly what happened or whether anyone was hurt.
According to WYFF, the Spartanburg County Coroner said the investigation remains in its early stages. The coroner's office was not called to the scene of the reported shooting itself, but was instead requested at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, the station reported.
Beyond confirming that the probe is underway, the coroner said no additional information could be released at this time. That leaves basic questions — including the circumstances of what unfolded and whether any injuries occurred — unanswered for now, per the station's report.
Not the First Time Gunfire Has Hit This Cook Out
This is not the first time the Cook Out on John B. White Sr. Boulevard has been the site of a shooting. In October 2018, a shooting at the restaurant sent six people to the hospital, according to The State.
In that earlier incident, police responded to a shots-fired call at the Cook Out around 11:30 p.m., with the shooting unfolding in the restaurant's parking lot, The State reported at the time. The six victims injured in 2018 ranged in age from 16 to 24, and none were reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries, per the same account.
Charges stemming from the 2018 shooting were later filed against a suspect identified by WYFF as Fredrick Lee Smith Jackson, 18, who the station said was charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a weapon by a person under age, and five counts of assault or attempted murder. The State's coverage of the same case identified the suspect as Frederick Lee Smith Jackson, also 18, and reported that he faced weapon charges along with six counts of attempted murder. The two outlets' accounts differ on the spelling of the suspect's first name and on the exact charge count.
What Remains Unknown
As of Saturday night's report, investigators had not disclosed whether anyone was injured or whether a suspect has been identified in connection with the newest incident. The limited information released so far mirrors the early uncertainty that often follows a fresh report before a formal investigation takes shape. Hoodline will update this story as more verified details become available.
