Blaine Alan Varner was 59 when he was killed on the afternoon of Monday, May 20, 2024, in Sumter, South Carolina. A physician assistant at Tandem Health, Varner was described as an innocent bystander struck during a daytime rolling gunfight between occupants of two vehicles. A bullet hit his car, which then veered off the road; he was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital and died of his injuries.

Investigators say the confrontation began with an illegal firearm sale and escalated into a car chase through the city’s historic district. Within days three people were arrested in connection with the shooting: Travis Rembert Jr., 20; Kelvin Epps, 26; and Demetrius Reed, 18. Charges include murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, unlawful carrying of a pistol, and possession of marijuana.

Varner is remembered by family, friends, and patients as a caring and dedicated healthcare provider. Does anyone who was in Sumter’s historic district that afternoon have information about the chase or the shooting?