Branden A. Harshaw Sr., 34, was shot during a confrontation inside the all-night Waffle House along Highway 501 near El Bethel Road in Conway, South Carolina, and was pronounced dead at Conway Medical Center around 3 a.m. on June 1, 2021. Witnesses and investigators say a dispute began after a customer was asked to leave and refused; the argument escalated into a physical struggle during which Chancey Rashon Deval Hickman of Loris drew a gun and shot Harshaw. Shell casings, broken glass, and an SUV that was later towed were documented at the scene.

Authorities charged Hickman with voluntary manslaughter rather than murder, saying the evidence indicated the killing occurred in the sudden heat of passion during the fight. A judge set bond at $50,000 with house arrest and an ankle monitor as conditions for release. Hickman later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in May 2023 and received a sentence that included active prison time and probation; he surrendered to begin the active portion at the end of May 2023. Harshaw is remembered by loved ones as funny and outgoing and the father of seven children.