The historic Gullah community rocked by a mass shooting on St. Helena Island

A mass shooting on Sunday has left four people dead and several others injured on St. Helena Island, a small, idyllic landmass off the coast of South Carolina.

The incident unfolded within a historic Black community, home to the nation's largest Gullah population, which has resided there for generations.

As investigators search for "persons of interest," attention turns to this 140-square-mile island, known for its deep-rooted heritage.

The Gullah, called Geechee in some regions, descend from Africans who were enslaved and brought to the coastal region of the southeast, where they were forced to work on mostly rice plantations. After the Civil War and Emancipation, some Gullah were able to scrimp and save enough to buy land. There are Gullah populations from North Carolina to Florida.

Scholars say the Gullah’s separation from the mainland allowed them to retain much of their African heritage.

That includes a distinct language that goes back centuries. The language is a blend of various African languages and English, and served as a way for enslaved people to communicate without slaveowners understanding.

The language, spoken by an estimated 10,000 people, according to the Charleston Public Library, is one of the only distinctly African creole languages in the United States.

The Gullah also have a unique style of food, music and crafts, such as cast-net fishing and basket weaving, that all have distinct roots in African cultures.

Gullah food and music in particular are believed to have significant influence on Black culture in general across the region.

Approximately 5,000 Gullah people live on St. Helena island, according to Census data.

The shooting took place at a restaurant called “Willie’s Bar and Grill,” which serves authentic Gullah-inspired cuisine such as shrimp and grits, traditional bone and wings and southern battered fish.

The restaurant describes itself on its website as “not just a restaurant but a community pillar committed to giving back, especially to our youth.”

Many packed into the bar on Saturday night to attend a high school reunion for alumni of the nearby Battery Creek High School, according to bar owner Willie Turral, who was in attendance when the shooting happened.

The shooting comes on the heels of years of challenges — ranging from hurricanes, aging infrastructure and court battles about real estate development — that have threatened efforts to preserve Gullah culture.