George C. Caldwell, 48, of Bamberg, South Carolina, was fatally shot on the evening of February 7, 2025, in the parking lot of a Dodge’s Store on Old Edisto Drive in Orangeburg. Orangeburg Department of Public Safety officers found Caldwell at about 9:00 p.m. with a gunshot wound to his upper body; he was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities say surveillance footage from nearby businesses and the city identified 17-year-old Malichi Johnson as the person allegedly responsible. Investigators reported no known prior relationship between Johnson and Caldwell. Johnson was taken into custody and is being prosecuted as an adult on charges including murder, attempted armed robbery, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a handgun by a person under 18; bond was denied at his initial court appearance and the case is scheduled for the court of general sessions.

Neighbors described Caldwell as a quiet man who didn’t bother anyone. Does anyone have information about Caldwell’s last movements that night or about activity in the Dodge’s Store parking lot that could help the investigation?