Berkeley County, South Carolina. — More than four years after a fatal shooting inside a Berkeley County gun shop, the man responsible will spend less than a month in prison, spread out over five years.
Jon Whitley, the owner of Coastal Firearms, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his employee, Steven Mrgan, in 2021. Judge Thomas J. Rode followed the prosecution’s recommendation and sentenced Whitley to probation, but he added an unusual condition to the decision.
Whitley, according to Judge Rode, should serve five days in jail from November 1 to November 5 each year for the five years he is on probation. He will serve a total of 25 days in jail and must perform community service with an organization that helps military families with spouses.
In court, Whitley expressed remorse and described the shooting as a tragic accident.
“I would gladly trade places with him if I could,” Whitley stated.
According to court documents, Whitley claimed he confused a real gun for a BB gun during a prank.
The firearm fired inside the business, killing Mrgan, a retired Green Beret and father of three.
The defense, for its side, emphasized mitigating circumstances such as Whitley’s non-malicious intent, the fact that the incident was an accident, and his military and law enforcement background.
Widow: “This was not justice”
This mystery has captivated the Berkeley County community for almost four years.
A chapter was ended on Friday with Whitley’s punishment, but emotions are still raw for a family grieving the death of a father, husband, and soldier.
The sentencing did not sit well with the victim’s family, especially Dr. Ali Mrgan, Steven Mrgan’s widow, who had hoped for a stiffer punishment.
“It was deeply disappointing that the prosecutor did recommend probation,” she told me. “That wasn’t what our family wanted. We wanted to see this person go to jail for his deeds.”
Steve Mrgan’s youngest child was just three months old when he died.
“I’m hoping that my children and I can just start to move forward and honor his memory the way that we want to — with positivity and love — rather than the impending court case hanging over our head and kind of holding back our perception of closure,” said the woman.
The family had long pushed for responsibility and justice, claiming they were serving a “life sentence” without Mrgan.
In addition to the criminal prosecution, Steven Mrgan’s estate reached a civil settlement with Jon Whitley and Coastal Firearms.
The deal includes reparation, which the family called “a small act of closure.”
