Copyright Live 5 News WCSC
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - A judge sentenced the Berkeley County gun store owner in connection with the shooting death of one of his employees in 2021 that resulted from a prank that went wrong. Jon Whitley pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Stefan Mrgan. A judge sentenced him to five days in jail every year from Nov. 1 through Nov. 5 for five years, during which he will also be on probation. Whitley, the owner of Coastal Firearms on Cainhoy Road, is also required to serve 200 hours of community service to organizations that support military families dealing with the loss or death of a parent. Mrgan’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Whitley in 2023. The family claimed Whitley was negligent before the shooting happened. Berkeley County investigators say Whitley shot Mrgan in the face after mistaking a real gun for a BB gun on Nov. 5, 2021. In April 2022, the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administrationfined the business $3,000and conducted a follow-up inspection.
