The Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a nightclub shooting that left a man dead early Sunday morning. 

According to Lt. Trevor Murphy, deputies were dispatched at approximately 3:40 a.m. Sunday to The Hut Nightclub on Ellison Court in Bennettsville about a shooting. 

Upon arrival, deputies made contact with the club owner, who advised that while closing down and cleaning up, a male individual who had been banned from the club walked in wanting a drink. 

“After advising the man that he was not allowed back at the club due to an incident that occurred a few weeks prior, and asking him to leave, witnesses advised that, as the man was leaving, he turned and began assaulting the security guard working the front door,” Murphy said. 

Witnesses attempted to get the man off of the security guard, but were unsuccessful. As the male was on top of the security guard, the guard retrieved a firearm from his person and shot the male, Toran Ralphael Simmons, twice. 

Murphy said Simmons died as a result of those gunshots wounds. 

The guard and a concealed weapon permit holder also present at the time, presented the firearm used in the incident to law enforcement. 

Murphy said the security guard was taken into custody and transported to the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office for questioning. 

“After reviewing the evidence of the case with the judge and solicitor’s office, the guard was released from custody without charges pending autopsy results and evidence testing to be conducted by SLED,” Murphy said.