ST. HELENA ISLAND – Starting his Sunday morning service, Philander McDomick spoke briefly about the rainy weather that recently arrived to this Sea Island of tomato fields, shrimp docks and roads shaded by live oaks.

The associate minister of historic Brick Baptist Church then stopped the small talk and dropped a bombshell: a deadly shooting had occurred just hours earlier , only a half mile away.

“We had some tragedy down here, right on the corner, if you haven’t heard about it,” McDomick said. “Latest news: 20 people injured at this time, at Willie’s club. Four people dead.”

The small congregation murmured in surprise. Worshipers at nearby churches heard similar messages from their ministers that morning of Oct. 12. The faithful of St. Helena had woken to greet God but instead rec

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