A 12-year-old boy trick-or-treating with his family in central South Carolina was shot and killed on Friday. The boys father and brother were also wounded as Quentin Patrick shot from his home. Read more on this Halloween tragedy below.
Quentin Patrick shot from inside his home and killed the 12 year-old boy.
The shooting suspect, Quentin Patrick, is in custody. Patrick, 22, has been charged with murder and three counts of assault and battery with the intent to kill.
The family was going home from a city-sponsored Halloween event downtown and decided to stop at a few homes to trick or treat. The father and his four children approached a home with a porch light on about 8:30 p.m. EDT while their mother waited nearby in a vehicle.
While the family stood at the door, they heard what they believed were fireworks. The 12-year-old boy, his father and brother were all hit by the gunfire. The boy died at a hospital, Coroner Verna Moore said. The other two children were not hurt.
The boy’s father and brother were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities have not released the identity of the family.
Patterson also would not release any more details about the shooting.
“The investigation is continuing into what has been a very tragic evening,” Patterson said. “Our sorrow and sympathy goes out to this family.”
The police chief said there were other people inside the home at the time of the shooting, but she didn’t expect any of them to be charged.
A neighbor stated that he heard some noise but figured it was just kids playing around on Halloween.
“I thought, trick-or-treat night — pranks go down. Anything goes,” said Lenwood Dixon, 49, who works at a hazardous waste and recycling company. “I heard a noise like maybe gunfire, then my daughter saw a bunch of lights flashing and saw some cops.”
In his six years in the neighborhood, he said he wasn’t aware of any violent crimes. He said a few trick-or-treaters had been on his block that night.
“I’m surprised. Since I was here, I’d never heard of anything like that happening. It’s a quiet neighborhood,” he said. “You don’t see many children in the neighborhood. It’s more elderly.”
