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Person of interest named in drive-by shooting that killed child in Orangeburg County

Joshua Devon Pettus is wanted for questioning following the shooting that claimed the life of a 6-year-old a week earlier.

WOODFORD, S.C. — The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office has named a person of interest in the investigation of the shooting death of a 6-year-old child on May 13.

The department said on Friday that it is now searching for Joshua Devon Pettus as it continues to investigate the crime, which occurred in the evening hours of last Friday in the Woodford Community.

"During this intensive and round-the-clock investigation, we have developed a name," Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. "If you have any information on his whereabouts, I strongly urge you to call us."

The shooting claimed the life of 6-year-old Winston Hunter. At this point, however, authorities only say that Pettus is wanted for questioning. Pettus is a 29-year-old man from the Neeses area.

An incident report released by the Orangeburg County County Sheriff's Office said the Hunter family had just come home from a family gathering on Friday night, and Winston was playing in the house when bullets tore through the home. A man in the home attempted to perform CPR on the child, but it was too late, according to the report.  

Anyone with information on his location is urged to contact the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office at 803-531-4647 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

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