‘I just feel lost’: Veteran killed while celebrating Veterans Day outside of Chatham County bar

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - A local veteran was shot and killed in the final hours of celebrating Veterans Day outside of a local bar off Highway 204.

Chatham County police say the shooting happened just before 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Officers have arrested 45-year-old Jeremy Scarth in connection to the shooting. He’s charged with murder.

Investigators believe Scarth approached the victim while he was outside the business before the shooting.

Shocked is the main word customers, community members and friends use to describe their feelings.

People WTOC spoke to say they were at the bar Tuesday night just hours before the shooting happened.

They say the man who died wasn’t just a friend but someone they considered family, and they aren’t sure how to even begin to move forward.

During a celebration for veterans, a veteran was taken from this world.

Friends say D’angelo Shaw was working at Little Lucky’s Bar on East Gateway Blvd when he was shot and killed as Veterans Day celebrations came to a close.

WTOC first met Shaw when we learned how the Army veteran worked his way from homeless to becoming a general manager of a gym in Statesboro.

“I didn’t believe it but it just goes to show that if you put your mind to it.. you can do,” said Shaw.

Wednesday— we heard his name again.

“I can’t even believe it is true, now, I’m just in shock,” said Eller.

After hearing the news of the deadly shooting, Kim Eller, Andrew Rawlings and other regulars all returned to Lucky’s Wednesday night to see if what they had heard was true.

“I feel lost… just feel lost,” said Andrew Rawlings, friend.

Both Rawlings and Eller say they were at Lucky’s celebrating veterans day just hours before the shooting.

They say they were stunned to hear about D’Angelo— who they called Akon. But they were also shocked to know it happened at Lucky’s.

“We were all just laughing and having a good time, I don’t understand how it went so wrong,” said Eller.

They say Shaw was a true friend— protective, caring, hardworking and someone they all learned to lean on.

“He would just help you,” said Eller. “If you were down and out, they would just help you and that was one thing I respected so much about him and one thing that really bonded us.”

Heartbroken by the news, friends say they want justice for Shaw but even more so, they what people to know he was the most caring and loving person they knew.

“It’s just so hard to accept that it was him, because he was also so happy, always smiling, always working and would do anything for anyone,” said Eller.

A Gofundme account has been started to help support his family.