LANCASTER, S.C. — A 53-year-old man was shot and killed during a race Saturday night at Lancaster Motor Speedway in South Carolina, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting occurred during the last event in the Steven Johnson Memorial Race, at about 10:53 p.m. EDT. WSOC-TV reported that the man was shot inside the front gate near the speedway’s ticket offices.
In a statement Sunday morning, Lancaster County Sheriff Barry Faile said a suspect was located “following an extensive manhunt” and was taken into custody.
“Lots of folks were at the track last night, and a good number of people likely saw some or all of the events leading up to and including the shooting,” Faile said several hours earlier. “We have identified some of them but encourage others who we have not talked with to call the sheriff’s office and tell us what you know. We hope to positively identify the shooter and take him into custody soon.”
The victim was transported to the Medical University of South Carolina-Lancaster Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said. An autopsy will be scheduled by the Lancaster County coroner, who will identify the victim at a later time.
Deputies responded to a shooting around 10:53 p.m. during the last race of the night inside the front gate near the ticket offices. https://t.co/dRO4X9Jf12
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) August 28, 2022
Lancaster Motor Speedway released a statement about the shooting on its Facebook page, WSOC reported.
“I know everyone knows what happened at the race tonight, all I ask is that everyone keep that person(’s) family in your thoughts and prayers,” speedway officials wrote.
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