‘Wish we can get justice’: Family reflects after 16-year-old murdered in Loris shooting
Kristen Hunter wished 16-year-old Katrina Jackson hadn’t gone out that January night. But Jackson did, and now her friends and family want to know who killed her.
“I wish she’d never went. I wish she would have just stayed home,” said Hunter, who was Jackson’s cousin but considers herself a sister.
Jackson was shot and killed in the early hours of Jan. 15 in the Loris area. She was in a car when another vehicle opened fire, according to police. She was the only person killed in the shooting and authorities classified her death as a murder. Officers have made no arrests and continue to investigate, Horry County police spokeswoman Mikayla Moskov said.
“Wrong place, wrong car, wrong time,” Hunter said.
Who was Katrina Jackson?
Jackson, who was more commonly known by her nickname, Woosie, was a student at Loris High School. Hunter said Jackson was outspoken and sure of herself.
“She was the bad a-- in the group,” Hunter said.
Hunter said Jackson also loved to spend hours on YouTube listening to all sorts of music, and didn’t have a particular favorite artist or style.
Jackson was the type of person who told it “like it was,” Hunter said, even if that meant ruffling a few feathers. Though, Jackson was quick to apologize. Hunter said she hoped the community would continue to carry on Jackson’s up-front spirit.
“Just be yourself, ‘cause that is who she was,” Hunter said.
One of her closest friends, Tray Gore said Jackson had a close group of four friends who spent most of their time together. He said Jackson liked fixing her hair and nails and dreamed of becoming a cosmetologist.
“We was real, real, real, real close,” Gore said. “Real close. If I had needed a shoulder to cry on, she needed a shoulder to cry on.”
Gore said he will remember Jackson by her laugh and she always brought fun into any situation.
“She always had a smile on her face,” he said.
The night of the shooting
Around 12:45 a.m., Horry County police went to Paddock Road in the Loris area after several people reported a shooting. The victims told police they drove down Cedar Branch Road on to Hemingway Road, when a car started to closely follow them.
The unknown car then pulled alongside and started to shoot at the first car, according to the police report.
The shooting left broken glass and spent shell casings along a quarter-mile section of the road, according to the report. Several details in the police report were redacted by county officials. One other person was shot in incident, Moskov said.
Police have not released any description of the suspect vehicle or suspects in the case.
Hunter said the family held Jackson’s funeral on Saturday and that there were tough moments when they had to say goodbye.
“I broke down,” Hunter said said about learning of her cousin’s death. “I’m still kind of [in shock].”
Gore said he was heartbroken when he heard about his close friend’s death. He added it is difficult knowing her killer is still free.
“I wish we can get justice,” Gore said. “God sees it all.”
This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
