Victim ID’d in early morning Thanksgiving shooting in Aiken

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Aiken County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim in the early morning Thanksgiving shooting in Aiken.

The victim has been identified as 34-year-old Ty’Netrum J. Smoakes, of Fairfax, S.C.

At about 1:49 a.m., Thursday, Smoakes was found with at least one gunshot wound to the body in the driver seat of a Toyota Camry that had crashed into a tree on Park Avenue at Fairfield Street.

Smoakes was taken to Aiken Regional Medical Centers where he were pronounced deceased from their injuries and will be autopsied in Newberry.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety said Thursday afternoon it didn’t have any information to add and didn’t have any suspects yet.

The Aiken County Coroner’s Office and Aiken Department of Public Safety are continuing with the investigation.

The Aiken Department of Public Safety said it’s still investigating the crime and asks that anyone with information that could help solve this case call 803-642-7620. You can also submit an anonymous tip online at https://www.cityofaikensc.gov/offices/public-safety/crime-tip/.

The shooting is among an outbreak of violent crimes that’s claimed more than 100 lives in the past year and a half across the CSRA. Cities large and small have been affected on both sides of the Savannah River.

Authorities have blamed much of the problems on gangs.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.