A neighborhood gathering in Sumter, South Carolina, ended in a fatal shooting on the evening of August 29, 2023. Barry Lee Thompson, 56, was socializing at a neighbor’s home on Arnaud Street when an argument with 65-year-old neighbor Ronald Glenn Rodgers escalated. Around 7:15 p.m. in the backyard, Rodgers allegedly produced a firearm and shot Thompson.

Thompson was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Rodgers fled the scene by vehicle but was located about 1.5 miles away on Miller Road and taken into custody without incident; a gun was found in his vehicle. He was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime and booked at the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center. An autopsy was scheduled and the investigation remains ongoing.

If anyone saw the confrontation on Arnaud Street that evening or has information about what led to the argument, please share details with investigators.