Case History
At around 11:30 a.m., Jan. 26, 2022, Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report from a female caller that a male subject was breaking into her Eddings Point Rd., St. Helena Island home.
The caller advised Sheriff’s Office dispatchers that a person she knew, Jaquan Sanders, was breaking into her home.
When the first deputy arrived, he noted that the door had been damaged, which was consistent with the female caller’s report that her home was broken into.
Upon entering the residence, the deputy found a male subject, Jaquan Sanders, 24, of Shell Point, lying unresponsive on the floor of the upstairs hallway with a pistol in his hand.
While still upstairs, the deputy proceeded to a bedroom, where he located two wounded women, Kalila Saunders, 22, and Robin Saunders, 55, both of St. Helena, on the floor; a pistol was found on the bed nearby.
The deputy rendered aid to the wounded people and secured the scene for Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to respond.
At the scene, EMS paramedics determined Kalila Saunders and Jaquan Sanders were dead from apparent gunshot wounds; Robin Saunders was transported to the Beaufort Memorial Hospital and died a short time later.
Preliminary Investigation
Although the case remains under investigation pending forensic analyses, we are able to release the following information:
-The initial call from the Eddings Point Rd. home to dispatch was made by Robin Saunders
-Robin resided at the Eddings Point Rd. residence with her daughter, Kalila Saunders
-Jaquan Sanders was Kalila’s estranged boyfriend
-Jaquan resided in Shell Point
-Jaquan did not have legal access nor was he reportedly welcome to be at the Saunders’ Eddings Point Road residence
-The damage to the door leading into the Eddings Point Rd. home was fresh and consistent with the door being forced open
-Jaquan was in possession of a pistol when he was found lying unresponsive
-The pistol found on the bed belonged to Kalila; a lawful resident of the Eddings Point Rd. home
-The pistol found in Jaquan’s possession and the one found on the bed were different calibers
-There were two calibers of cartridge casings and projectiles found at the scene and recovered at the autopsies
-The two calibers of casings and projectiles were consistent with the calibers of the two pistols recovered from the residence
-There were no indications that anyone was involved in incident other than the three deceased
Summary
Information obtained thus far in the investigation strongly indicates that on Jan. 26, 2022, Jaquan Sanders unlawfully and forcibly entered the Saunders’ Eddings Point Rd. residence armed with a pistol, which precipitated one of the lawful residents, Kalila or Robin Saunders, to exchange gunfire with Jaquan in defense of themselves and their home.
Forensic analyses may assist in determining additional details of the shooting.
