SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — Two brothers and a friend have been arrested and accused of going to violent extremes when a woman ended a relationship with one of them.
According to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, on April 15, someone reported to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office that they had been assaulted and had a gun pointed at them.
The victims said they were in their vehicle along with two children when a truck rammed them from behind. The victims then said that three men got out of the vehicle and assaulted a male victim as another pointed a shotgun at their vehicle in the area of Bethel Church and Nettles roads.
Investigators later determined that the driver of the suspect truck was David Allen Butler and the passengers were his brother Brian Michael Butler and a friend, Keith Edward Morris. Investigators believe David was responsible for brandishing the shotgun that day.
The sheriff's office believes one of the men, Brian, was also responsible for what the victims found when they finally returned home - that someone had fired a shotgun into their home.
According to investigators, the end of a romantic relationship is believed to be what led to the violent retribution.
David Butler was interviewed and arrested on April 18 on charges of discharging firearms into a dwelling, four counts of assault and battery in the first degree, and pointing and presenting a firearm.
But, for the weeks that followed the search continued for the other two men.
Brian Butler was arrested on May 3 after a wanted bulletin was released to the media by the sheriff's office. Morris was arrested on May 5 for his alleged role in the incident. Both were charged with discharging firearms into a dwelling.
Both Brian Butler and Morris were denied bond for their alleged roles in the incident. David Butler was granted two surety bonds totaling $45,000 and is currently under house arrest.
