FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – The Florence Police Department says the suspect in a shooting outside a motel early Monday morning turned himself into police.
According to Lt. Mike Brandt with the Florence Police Department, Terry Anthony Watson Jr surrendered to the Florence Police Department Thursday. Watson was wanted on two counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in reference to the shooting.
Watson was in court Friday for a bond hearing. He was given a $100,000 surety bond for the weapon charge, but Judge Lloyd Wilcox did not set bond on the two attempted murder charges and passed the decision along to a circuit court judge.
In court, an investigator with the city of Florence stated Watson had four different reports from four different agencies from 2009-2016 involving domestic violence against one of the shooting victims and a restraining order that ended just last month.
Police say officers were called to the Days Inn motel, located at 140 Dunbarton Drive, around 5:31 a.m. Monday. Officers found two people had been shot in the parking lot of the motel, confirms Lt. Brandt.
Watson is accused of approaching the car the victims were in and firing multiple shots into the car after a brief argument.
During the shooting, the victims’ vehicle collided with the motel, explains Lt. Brandt.
In court, investigators said a GPS tracker was found inside the car the victim was driving and the GPS receiver was found in the suspect’s car. “The State is afraid of other tracking units Mr. Watson has for the victim,” investigators told court officials.
Both victims were taken to the hospital following the shooting.
Watson was seen driving a gray 2000 Mazda B3000 pickup truck, similar to the car in the photo above.
Watson is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on August 16.
