A South Carolina man will spend two decades behind bars for a shooting that began with something as ordinary as a liquor bottle. Bernard Garvin Jr., 35, was convicted of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime this week for the June 2023 incident at the Hilton Head Gardens apartment complex, where witnesses say a woman confronted him for tussling with another woman at an all-day party. Garvin pulled a gun and fired at least four shots, grazing the victim’s head and landing her in intensive care while doctors watched for possible brain bleeding.
According to the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Garvin fled to Georgia after the shooting and was arrested three months later, thanks to multiple witnesses who came forward with identifications. He now faces 20 years in prison plus five years of probation. The victim survived, and the case closed because people who saw what happened chose to speak to investigators.
The distance between a heated argument and a life-changing crime is shorter than most of us like to admit. That’s as true on a Suncoast beach parking lot as it is in a South Carolina apartment complex. Have you ever seen a disagreement escalate and wondered whether you should say something? Tell us your story.
