Gunfire at popular mountain overlook kills 1 visitor and wounds a second, SC cops say

One person was killed and a second was wounded when shots were fired in the dark at a popular mountain overlook in Upstate South Carolina, investigators say.

The man who died has been identified as 21-year-old Kaylon Reid Culbertson of Greenville, according to the Greenville County Corner’s Office. He was found “on the ground outside of a vehicle,” officials said.

The shootings happened around 2:57 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, near a parking area where motorists can pull off Geer Highway and walk to a rock outcrop overlooking Bald Rock Heritage Preserve. The park is outside Cleveland, about a 120-mile drive northwest from Columbia.

Zachary Ray Pridmore, 20, of Simpsonville, has been arrested as a suspect, the sheriff’s office said in an update.

“Investigators discovered a verbal altercation transpired between Pridmore and two acquaintances inside a vehicle on the roadway just after departing (the overlook),” the sheriff’s office said.

“During the course of the altercation, Pridmore drew a firearm and fired multiple rounds striking both victims at least once. Nine-one-one was called by one of the victims who was later transported to the hospital due to the injuries sustained. The other victim suffered fatal injuries and was declared deceased on scene upon EMS arrival.”

Pridmore was also briefly hospitalized due to “injuries acquired during the altercation,” officials said.

He has been charged with murder, assault/attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, officials said. He is being held without bond.

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve is a 165-acre parcel of wilderness with “a huge rock outcropping the size of a football field,” Visitgreenvillesc.com reports. The park is managed by the state and is adjacent to Caesars Head State Park.

“The summit is so large, you can enjoy the panorama without feeling the slightest bit apprehensive, even if you have a fear of heights. ... The outcropping overlooks the foothills of Pickens and Greenville counties,” the site reports.

This story was originally published October 7, 2024 at 5:34 AM with the headline "Gunfire at popular mountain overlook kills 1 visitor and wounds a second, SC cops say."