Neighbors shocked after SC trick-or-treater shot

By MEG KINNARD * November 1, 2008

SUMTER, S.C. (AP) < A 12-year-old boy was shot to death through a front door
while trick-or-treating with his family, shocking residents of a South
Carolina neighborhood where most people know each other well.

"I just hate it that that little kid got killed. It used to be the quietest
place. I knew everybody and everybody knew me," Vivian Johnson, 81, said
Saturday.

She has lived for decades two doors from the house where the boy was killed
and his father and brother injured Friday night, but she said she does not
know the people who live there now.

Police offered no motive and said it did not appear the family knew the
people in the house, which is off a busy, two-lane road in Sumter, a city of
about 40,000 people 45 miles east of Columbia. On Saturday, shattered glass
still covered the front stoop and about 20 bullet holes peppered the front
door and a front-window casement.

A 22-year-old man was charged with murder but it wasn't clear how < or if <
he was connected to the family.

"Most times you can find an explanation no matter how strange or twisted it
is. Right now we have no explanation," said Mayor Joseph T. McElveen.
"Sumter's certainly not a violent town but we're not isolated to having
tragedies like this happen. It doesn't make it any better."

Police said the boy, his parents and three other siblings were returning
from a city-sponsored event downtown where about 4,000 costumed children had
celebrated Halloween when they stopped to collect candy at a home with a
porch light on. The father and children went to the door while the mother
stayed in the car nearby.

As the family waited, they thought they heard fireworks. The father and two
boys were hit by gunfire from inside the house. The 12-year-old died at a
hospital, Coroner Verna Moore said. His father and brother were taken to a
hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other two children were not
hurt. Authorities have not identified the family.

Quentin Patrick, 22, has been charged with murder and three counts of
assault and battery with intent to kill. The home where the shooting
happened was not listed as his address and it wasn't clear why he was there.

Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson said there were other people inside
during the shooting, but she didn't expect them to be charged.

There was no answer Saturday morning at the mobile home police listed as
Patrick's address, although neighbor Larry Sigler said he thought Patrick's
mother lived there.

Sigler said Patrick didn't seem like someone prone to violence.

County Councilman Charles Edens said he lives just a few blocks away from
where the shooting happened and passed the flashing lights of police cars on
his way back from trick-or-treating with his 13-year-old daughter, who was
upset at the news.

"It's going to put a dampening on Halloween," Eden said. "I would think
twice about going to a door that we don't know who lives behind."

Associated Press Writer Katrina A. Goggins in Columbia contributed to this
report

Gregory Morrow wrote:
>
> Neighbors shocked after SC trick-or-treater shot
>
> By MEG KINNARD * November 1, 2008
>
> SUMTER, S.C. (AP) < A 12-year-old boy was shot to death through a front door
> while trick-or-treating with his family, shocking residents of a South
> Carolina neighborhood where most people know each other well.
>
> "I just hate it that that little kid got killed. It used to be the quietest
> place. I knew everybody and everybody knew me," Vivian Johnson, 81, said
> Saturday.
>
> She has lived for decades two doors from the house where the boy was killed
> and his father and brother injured Friday night, but she said she does not
> know the people who live there now.
>
> Police offered no motive and said it did not appear the family knew the
> people in the house, which is off a busy, two-lane road in Sumter, a city of
> about 40,000 people 45 miles east of Columbia. On Saturday, shattered glass
> still covered the front stoop and about 20 bullet holes peppered the front
> door and a front-window casement.
>
> A 22-year-old man was charged with murder but it wasn't clear how < or if <
> he was connected to the family.
>
> "Most times you can find an explanation no matter how strange or twisted it
> is. Right now we have no explanation," said Mayor Joseph T. McElveen.
> "Sumter's certainly not a violent town but we're not isolated to having
> tragedies like this happen. It doesn't make it any better."
>
> Police said the boy, his parents and three other siblings were returning
> from a city-sponsored event downtown where about 4,000 costumed children had
> celebrated Halloween when they stopped to collect candy at a home with a
> porch light on. The father and children went to the door while the mother
> stayed in the car nearby.
>
> As the family waited, they thought they heard fireworks. The father and two
> boys were hit by gunfire from inside the house. The 12-year-old died at a
> hospital, Coroner Verna Moore said. His father and brother were taken to a
> hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other two children were not
> hurt. Authorities have not identified the family.
>
> Quentin Patrick, 22, has been charged with murder and three counts of
> assault and battery with intent to kill. The home where the shooting
> happened was not listed as his address and it wasn't clear why he was there.
>
> Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson said there were other people inside
> during the shooting, but she didn't expect them to be charged.
>
> There was no answer Saturday morning at the mobile home police listed as
> Patrick's address, although neighbor Larry Sigler said he thought Patrick's
> mother lived there.
>
> Sigler said Patrick didn't seem like someone prone to violence.
>
> County Councilman Charles Edens said he lives just a few blocks away from
> where the shooting happened and passed the flashing lights of police cars on
> his way back from trick-or-treating with his 13-year-old daughter, who was
> upset at the news.
>
> "It's going to put a dampening on Halloween," Eden said. "I would think
> twice about going to a door that we don't know who lives behind."
>
> Associated Press Writer Katrina A. Goggins in Columbia contributed to this
> report

The report posted on CNN.com is/was a fair amount different on the
details.

"Pete C." > wrote:

> The report posted on CNN.com is/was a fair amount different on the
> details.

The guy was high on crack or up for a few days on speed. He thought
the goblins were coming to get him.

The guy sure was a lousy shot. He hit the kid 13 times but only hit
the other two once each.

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> "Pete C." > wrote:
>
>> The report posted on CNN.com is/was a fair amount different on the
>> details.
>
> The guy was high on crack or up for a few days on speed. He thought
> the goblins were coming to get him.

Luckily he had an AK-47!
>
> The guy sure was a lousy shot. He hit the kid 13 times but only hit
> the other two once each.

Poor kid.

nancy