Florence, South Carolina is grieving after a young man’s life ended in a sudden afternoon shooting at the Coit Village Apartments. On Monday around 2:47 p.m., officers with the Florence Police Department were called to the complex on North Coit Street after reports of shots fired. When first responders arrived they found 23‑year‑old Deandre Demetris Lyde suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving his family and friends stunned and heartbroken.
Neighbors described hearing sharp cracks pierce the usual quiet of the parking lot. Few saw what happened, but the shock of violence so close to home spread quickly through the community. Those who knew Lyde said he was a young man with a future ahead of him, someone who dreamed of more for himself and those around him. Now that future has been taken, leaving a deep void that friends struggle to put into words.
Police said a silver Honda Accord pulled into the parking area just before the shooting. Someone inside the vehicle and Lyde exchanged some sort of interaction, and then shots rang out. The car sped off before officers arrived. Detectives have since released photos of the vehicle and are urging anyone with information to come forward. Investigators have since arrested three suspects in connection with the shooting. Those men now face charges including murder, conspiracy, and weapons violations as the community waits for answers.
Family members and loved ones gathered at makeshift memorials near the scene and at Lyde’s home. Flowers, candles and notes now mark spots where people pause to remember his smile, his plans, and the young life they expected to watch unfold. Those closest to him talk about his laugh and how he always tried to look out for others. In the wake of his death, those memories are now the stories people cling to.
The tragedy has left many in Florence unsettled and searching for a sense of safety. Residents say this is not just an event on the news but something that has hit home. Some parents say they are now more cautious when their children leave the house. Others simply stand in quiet reflection, thinking about what has happened and how fragile life can be.
Florence Police Interim Chief Stephen Starling has said the investigation is continuing and that homicide detectives are following leads. Autopsy results for Lyde are expected from the Medical University of South Carolina, and police are hoping community tips will help bring a clearer picture of what led up to the shooting. The department says it is taking every step to piece together the timeline of events and to ensure justice is served.
For now, the community of Florence mourns Deandre Lyde while offering support to his family in this painful time. Prayers, kind words and acts of solidarity have poured in from neighbors and strangers alike. People remember him not just for how he died, but for who he was: someone with dreams, someone with people who loved him, and someone whose life mattered.
