PAGELAND, S.C. – A vibrant community celebration turned tragic on the opening night of the Pageland Watermelon Festival when a shooting claimed the life of 17-year-old Sean Davis, a beloved student and athlete from Chesterfield County. Late Saturday, authorities arrested 17-year-old Jayden Jeremiah Jefferies, also from Chesterfield County, charging him with murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and an enhancement related to a concealed weapon.
The incident occurred around 10:41 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025, at the corner of McGregor and South Pearl Street, in the heart of the festival. Amid the sounds of carnival rides, food trucks, and bustling crowds, gunshots rang out near the Pageland Police Department’s tent and within yards of Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office deputies providing security. Witnesses reported seeing dozens of festivalgoers fleeing the chaotic scene as a crowd of teenagers scattered. Despite efforts to save him, including an initial plan to airlift Davis to a trauma center near Charlotte, the teen was pronounced dead around midnight after being transported by ambulance. He did not survive the journey to the hospital.
Chesterfield County court officials confirmed that Jefferies was booked into the county jail on Saturday, July 19, 2025, and denied bond due to the severity of the charges. In South Carolina, felony offenses of this magnitude require a circuit court judge to set bond, which will be addressed during the next term of general sessions court in Chesterfield County. Authorities have not released further details about the motive or circumstances leading to the shooting, as the investigation has been handed over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). A second trail of blood found near the scene suggests another individual may have been injured, though no additional victims have been confirmed.
Sean Davis, a student at Central High School in Pageland, was a member of both the school’s football and track teams. Central High School’s head football coach, Jonathan Eason, confirmed Davis’ passing, and the school’s athletic programs mourned his loss through social media posts. Davis was set to participate in the festival’s 5K run on Saturday morning, an event the track team was scheduled to attend before the festival was canceled.
The Pageland Watermelon Festival, a cherished annual tradition since 1951, draws visitors to Chesterfield County for watermelon-eating contests, parades, and community festivities. In response to the tragedy, town officials canceled all remaining events on Saturday, stating, “Out of respect for the victim and their family, we believe this is the most appropriate course of action. Our hearts and prayers are with all those affected by this senseless act of violence.” Pageland Police Chief Dean Short expressed the community’s grief, saying, “This is a heartbreaking event that deeply impacts our entire community.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with SLED agents continuing to collect evidence and interview witnesses. The town of Pageland, known as the “Watermelon Capital of the World,” now grapples with the loss of a young life and the shock of violence at its signature event.