MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A South Carolina woman whose niece was shot and killed in Myrtle Beach in 2014 was among five people who spoke about gun violence Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Melody McFadden, of Charleston, said her 22-year-old niece Sandy Barnwell was shot to death over the Memorial Day weekend. Two other people died in the shooting, which remains unsolved.
8 people killed, 6 injured in 11 shootings in the past week across our area
“She drove to Myrtle Beach for sun and fun and motorcycle parades,” McFadden said during her minute-long speech. “Hours later, my phone rang. Shooting on the beach, no one can find Sandy.”
When she got the news, McFadden said she turned to her past experiences to stay calm.
“My mother, Patricia Ann, had been shot and killed by an abusive partner,” she said. “I was calm then, too. I got to handling business. I called relatives, the police, hospitals, and I kept calling, voice steady, heartbeat pulsing. Then, I was connected to the coroner. Tens years of waiting and Sandy’s murder is still unsolved. I”ll keep calling, and I’ll keep fighting.”