Two children and one adult were struck by a driver outside a preschool at a South Carolina church in what may have been an intentional act, authorities said.
Police are searching for the suspect following the crash at the Sunrise Presbyterian Church on Sullivan’s Island, a beach town just outside of Charleston, according to Isle of Palms police Sgt. Matt Storen.
Two children and one adult were struck by a car outside a church in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, May 1, 2025.
WCIV
One child and one adult were taken to hospitals and the third victim was treated at the scene and released, police said. The child taken to the hospital has since been discharged, according to a spokesperson with the Medical University of South Carolina.
Police identified the suspect as Justin Collin Adams, saying he was wearing a red shirt and dark shorts and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Isle of Palms Police released this photo of Justin Collin Adams.
Isle of Palms Police
The suspect ditched his sedan after the crash and is believed to be on foot and armed with a knife, Storen said.
There was no altercation before the incident, according to Storen.
Sunrise Presbyterian Church in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina.
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An active manhunt is ongoing, with grid searches of houses, drones scanning the sky and checkpoints at the entryway to Sullivan’s Island, police said. The FBI and U.S. Marshals are involved in the search, police said.
Authorities said they believe the suspect remains on Sullivan’s Island.
“Please be wary. Please stay inside your house,” Sullivan’s Island Chief Glenn Meadows advised residents during a press briefing Thursday afternoon. “If you see somebody, do not approach them. Call 911.”
