Man sentenced for North Charleston motel shooting caught on surveillance

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A man who shot another man outside a North Charleston motel with the incident being caught on surveillance footage received his sentence Thursday.

Hikeem Ishmar George Clinton pleaded guilty to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. State prosecutors dropped charges of attempted murder, grand larceny, and unlawful carry.

It all stems from a shooting incident outside a North Charleston motel on May 19, 2023. Police responded to the Stay Inn Express on Rivers Avenue in response to shots fired reports.

When they arrived, no one was there; however, they found shell casings in the area. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage, which showed one man firing towards another in the parking lot. Prosecutors said the shooting stemmed from an argument between the two.

Law enforcement received a call about a gunshot victim showing up to receive care at a nearby hospital and determined that to be the victim, the solicitor’s office said in court. The victim identified Clinton as the shooter.

Prosecutors said the victim has charges for his own arrest in both Berkeley and Charleston counties.

Clinton’s attorney revealed in court that during the time of the shooting, Clinton was dealing with the loss of his brother from a similar shooting incident.

Family members spoke on behalf of Clinton in the courtroom, saying that the incident was out of character for him and that his grandmother, who raised him, is in hospice care, with her health steadily declining.

Clinton became emotional when family members spoke of his grandmother, audibly choked up as he apologized to the courtroom and judge for his actions.

Judge Jennifer McCoy sentenced Clinton to eight years for the assault charge and five for the weapons, with sentences to run concurrently. He will also receive credit for the 458 days he has already served in jail.

As Clinton was escorted out, he and his family shared emotional “I love you” and “I’ll see you soon.”

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