Little River bar knew of violent crime before 2 people shot, killed, suit says
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The mother of a teenager killed in a New Year’s Eve shooting at a Little River bar is suing the now-closed establishment and its former owner.
K’Ron Fox, 19, was one of two people killed outside the Drinking Class Sports Bar and Grill, which was located in the Waterway Plaza off of Highway 9 on Dec. 31, 2023.
James Myron Bellamy, 20, also died in the shooting. Two others were injured, according to Horry County Police reports.
Kalezza Fox, the mother of K’Ron Fox, filed a wrongful death suit against the bar; the former bar owners, Chester Wheeler and John Scott; WHLR-Waterway LLC, owner of the Waterway Plaza where the bar was located; 139 Inc.; and John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, which are listed as the shooters.
A message left for Waterway Plaza management was not returned. A phone number for Wheeler and Scott could not be located.
Wheeler and Scott opened Drinking Class in 2022, which was located in the plaza at 3389 Highway 9 E. in Little River, according to the suit. In November 2023, Wheeler and Scott became aware of possible gang activity on the premises, the suit says.
The bar’s management met with Horry County Police officers to discuss concerns related to the presence of several gang members at the bar and the number of calls police had received about the business, the suit says. Police also informed management that there was an open nuisance case against Drinking Class.
Defendants had “actual knowledge of violent, criminal activity at the subject premises, yet failed to take proper safety measures to protect Defendants’ patrons,” the suit says.
Police suggested that Wheeler raise the entry age for patrons to the bar, which owners did in January 2024.
However, the lawsuit claims that the defendants, including Scott and Wheeler, failed to take “precautionary” steps to secure the areas outside, surrounding and inside the bar that would protect patrons. Wheeler and Scott also failed to heed law enforcement recommendations to market their establishment to a different type of patronage that would curtail future criminal activity, as well as conduct basic security measures that would have detected weapons on persons on the premises, the suit says.
Waterway Plaza is accused of failing to control its property and tenants, given the knowledge and involvement in prior incidents surrounding the property and nuisance investigations into the bar.
This is the second lawsuit filed against the bar and Wheeler and Scott.
Kenyetta Crawford, the mother of a minor who was also shot at the bar the night of Dec. 31, 2023, filed a lawsuit in December 2024.
The suit seeks damages, including economic losses, medical expenses, funeral expenses and wrongful death damages.
