Hartwell PD, Hartwell Sheriff’s Office Investigating Multiple Shootings

Hart County Sheriff’s Office and the Hartwell Police are investigating a string of shootings that began in Hartwell on July 21 that were possibly gang-related.

According to a press release issued by Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland, four shootings took place; three on July 21 and one on July 26.

According to Hartwell Police incident reports obtained by WLHR News, on Sunday, July 21, at approximately 04:42p, Hartwell Communications Officer Dutton dispatched Officers to 14 Forest Creek Circle in reference to a house that was getting shot at with a weapon with unknown injuries inside. No other information on that incident has been released.

Then at 10:25p on July 21, Hartwell Communications Officer Dutton dispatched Officers to 112 Hill Street about a white car chasing a vehicle of unknown color, make, and model. Both vehicles exchanged gunfire driving in an unknown direction of travel.

When officers arrived at the scene, they were not able to locate the vehicles but did see shell casings scattered along Hill Street. While investigators were on the Hill St. scene, they heard that the county had a shooting approximately 1-2 minutes afterward, which was possibly related to their call.

That shooting took place July 21 at about 10:22p that night on Scotttown Drive in Hartwell, according to a Hart County Sheriff’s Office incident report obtained by WLHR News.

In that incident, a Hart County Sheriff’s Deputy was responding to the area of Hill St. to back up Hartwell PD for that shooting when dispatch received multiple calls regarding shots fired in the area of Ernest Oliver Rd.

The report stated that the call then turned into a shooting with at least one person being injured on Scottown Dr.

When the Deputy arrived at 223 Scottown Dr. he noticed shell casings at the edge of the roadway.

Seven people were at the residence when someone began shooting at the property and then drove off, according to witnesses.

The owner of the house told investigators that he and his wife were asleep and did not see who the shooter was.

Five other people were in the pool room next to the residence when the shooting started.

One of those suffered an injury when a bullet grazed his arm. A second person suffered a minor injury when he dove to the ground to avoid the bullets.

Investigators found multiple shell casings at the scene and retrieved at least one bullet from a vehicle parked on the property.

Several days later on July 26 at 11:30p, Deputies again responded to a shooting, this time on Pearl Drive but no other information on that incident is available at this time.

The investigations into all of the shootings are ongoing. No other information has been released by either the Hart County Sheriff’s Office or the Hartwell Police.

WLHR News will continue to follow these stories and bring you more information if and when it becomes available.