22-year-old identified as man killed in Florence County nightclub shooting

FLORENCE COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A 22-year-old has been identified as the man killed Saturday morning in a Florence County nightclub shooting.

Dakyas Riyuan Belser, 22, of Florence, was identified as the man who was killed, according to Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

Javon Smith, 45, of Darlington, was arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

The shooting happened at Lava Lounge, a nightclub on West Sumter Street, deputies said. Investigators said the shooting happened during an altercation at the club.

Eight months ago, there was a shooting at the same nightclub, and residents in the area are demanding something be done before it’s too late. The nightclub is within walking distance of Carver Elementary School and a residential neighborhood.

Patrick Nettles’ mother lives near the nightclub.

“She’s 85 years old,” he said. “This club has been here and it has changed names several times and it has been a lot of violence over the years and it’s only getting worse.”

Evidence of the shooting was still visible on Monday. Yellow caution tape remained at the scene with liquor bottles scatted across the ground.

“Bullets don’t have a name,” Nettles said. Nobody knows where they are going to go. They are just shooting at random and it could have hit anybody.”

Residents hope that stricter security is enforced and if not, they’d like for the club to be shut down.