An Easley woman spoke at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night about the gun violence that ended her niece’s life.
During a poignant segment on the final night of the Chicago convention, Melody McFadden recounted how she learned of her niece, Sandy Barnwell’s shooting in Myrtle Beach.
“She drove to Myrtle Beach for sun and fun and motorcycle parades. Hours later, my phone rang, there was a shooting on the beach, no one can find Sandy,” McFadden said.
McFadden joined four other people on stage to speak about how gun violence has affected their lives and for some – drives their advocacy. Speakers included Georgia U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, whose son was shot and killed; Kim Rubio, mother of a Uvalde Elementary School shooting victim; Abbey Clements, a former teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School; and Edgar Vilchez, who witnessed a drive-by shooting in 2022.
On May 14, 2014, Barnwell, 22 of Summerville, was one of three people shot and killed on Memorial Day weekend at the Bermuda Sands Motel. The other two people killed were Jamie Williams, 28, and Devonte Dantzler, 21.