SUMTER, S.C. — A man state investigators say dropped a gunshot victim off at a Sumter hospital is now charged in the fatal shooting.
On Friday, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged Xavier Daichaun Bennett with involuntary manslaughter for the Nov. 23 shooting of 35-year-old Travis Rouse.
Bennett's arrest warrant states that the incident happened around 7 p.m. on Utah Circle as he and the victim "both recklessly pointed handguns at one another with no regard to the safety of each other and others that were inside the residence."
That's when the warrant alleges that Bennett mishandled his handgun and unintentionally fired it, striking Rouse in the upper torso. The report states that Bennett then drove the shooting victim to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital for treatment. Rouse later died of a gunshot wound.
The investigation began soon after, and Sumter Police requested SLED's assistance due to jurisdictional issues that arose once investigators had established where the crime had happened. On Dec. 6, Sumter Police announced a $5,000 reward for additional information in the case.
In an update on Saturday, Sumter Police said state investigators served their arrest warrant at the county detention center on Friday since Bennett was already in jail for an unrelated charge. Jail records show he was arrested on Dec. 3 for contempt of family court. His bond was denied for the involuntary manslaughter charge on Saturday morning.
