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Much to the dismay of the victims' family members, bond was set Wednesday on an Elloree man accused of shooting two people at a Santee nightclub.

Charged with two counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, 29-year-old Jason C. Shivers had his bond set at $75,000.

"Please be aware a warrant will be issued if you fail to show up for your trial," Orangeburg County Magistrate Derrick Dash said. "You do have a right to a trial by jury."

Of the nine family members of the two victims shot during an incident early Saturday, several appeared to be less than satisfied with Wednesday's outcome.

"It makes me think that the sheriff's department is on the take," said a cousin of the victims. "They can't just do these things and get away with it."

None of the victims' family members wished to identify themselves, citing their allegation that the defendant's family has ties with the legal system.

"It's ridiculous," another relative said of the bond. "I am absolutely upset."

Video of the bond hearing for Jason Shivers

Orangeburg County Sheriff's Detective Billy Ethridge had asked that a higher bond amount be placed on Shivers, citing the West Harlin Street man's criminal history.

In 1999, Ethridge said, Shivers served time for stabbing his brother to death in March of that year. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to four months in prison.

"The severity of the crime, he does have a (criminal) history, we ask for a $150,000 bond," Ethridge said. Both victims were shot three times."

Shackled, Shivers kept his eyes on Dash as OCSO Victim's Advocate Thais Britt asked that the judge stipulate there be no contact between the Elloree man and the victims. She also requested bond be denied.

"In as far as bond being denied, I won't do that," Dash said. "As of a $100,000 bond, I won't do that. I will set a $75,000 bond."

The two victims, one a Eutawville man in his late 20s, have been released from the hospital, Etheridge said.

Police were called to the Stacy Gilmore Club on Isaac Gilmore Street in Santee after a report of a shooting around 2:25 a.m.

Deputies arrived to find the two men, one having suffered a gunshot wound to the upper right arm and lower right leg while the other had been shot in the arm.

Investigators said a dispute arose over a woman who accompanied Shivers to the nightclub. The encounter escalated to the shots being fired.

The victims' family members present at the Wednesday hearing, however, said the shooter approached their relatives, as opposed to any encroachment by their kin.

In either scenario, there would have been a hail of gunfire in the nightclub parking lot if each victim was struck three times apiece. Two nearby vehicles were also struck by gunfire.

The victims were not able to ide.jpgy their assailant or give any description of him, according to an Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office incident report.

That same report indicates that several individuals interviewed by authorities said they heard Shivers was the shooter. But the investigating officers stated in the report that apparently no one saw the actual shooting.

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5516. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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