Police: A Conway-area drug deal ended in a teen girl being shot and a car in a ditch

A drug deal escalated into a shooting that injured a teenage girl in the Conway area Sunday, Horry County police said.

Authorities said a Conway man is charged with attempted murder in connection to the incident that happened on Wayside Road just before 7:30 p.m.

Police went to the area after reports of a shooting and found a Ford Mustang crashed into the ditch, a report states.

Two victims were on the ground in a yard, and one victim, Samantha Shane Whitaker, was helping the 16-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound in her arm, police said.

Officers said the incident started as a drug deal and escalated to the shooting.

Damin Lamont Howell, 23, of Conway, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and unlawful carrying of a pistol. Whitaker, 20, of Conway, is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The 16-year-old victim is also charged in connection to the incident. The Sun News has requested details about the charge from Horry County police.

The victim was transported to the hospital and the severity of her injuries are unknown.

Hannah Strong: 843-444-1765, @HannahLStrong

This story was originally published November 27, 2018 at 11:38 AM.