The evening hours of Halloween took a terrifying turn in the Pigeon Point neighborhood. Around 8:25 p.m. on Friday, October 31st, the Beaufort Police Department received a call for a “shots fired incident” near 1109 Woodward Ave. The suspect, identified as Paul Dominic Smith, was arrested shortly after and is now facing 27 charges, including 11 counts of Assault & Battery of a High & Aggravated Nature and 11 counts of Pointing & Presenting Firearms at a Person.
Residents in the normally quiet neighborhood described the scene as “horrifying.” Many were outside with their children trick-or-treating and celebrating Halloween festivities when chaos broke out. Confusion quickly turned into fear, as people realized what they thought were fireworks were in fact gunshots. Neighbors reported hearing the gunfire and seeing a figure in the street yelling about the police as they arrived on scene.
As of this publication, Smith’s charges also include Appearing Drunk on Streets, Use of a Firearm While Under the Influence, and Possession of a Weapon During a Violent Crime. He was additionally charged for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Discharging a Firearm within City Limits. Smith remains in custody and no other arrests have been made related to the incident. Beaufort Police Chief Stephanie Price confirmed that no injuries have been reported.
The people of Pigeon Point came together in the following days to take a stand against violence and push for Smith’s removal from the neighborhood. The residence at 1109 Woodward Avenue, where Smith had been staying for only a few weeks, is a rental managed by Bundy Appraisal & Management. Several Pigeon Point residents contacted Bundy directly in the hours following Smith’s arrest, urging the company to remove the tenants. “We are in shock over this — We’re going to get him out,” said Susan Trogdon, a longtime representative of the company. Trogdon confirmed to Beaufort Insider that they have taken immediate steps toward eviction, and have provided regular updates to concerned Pigeon Point residents.
While the police response on Friday evening was swift and effective, some citizens expressed confusion and frustration over the lack of communication from law enforcement that night and in the subsequent days. According to Chief Price, no emergency Nixle notifications were sent out because “the scene was contained, and the suspect was arrested immediately upon officers arrival — There was no continued threat to the public.”
What is most shocking to residents is, how quickly a night meant for children and families became a scene of chaos. The Pigeon Point neighborhood, a community known for its close-knit feel and family-friendly atmosphere, is left shaken but united in demanding safety for its citizens. As many residents have stated in the days following the incident, “we can’t tolerate this kind of violence in our neighborhood.”
