LANCASTER, S.C. – Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a Hispanic man who was killed by a 14-year-old juvenile, according to a news release.
The release states that on May 2, 2024, deputies were dispatched to a home on Hillcrest Avenue in relation to a reported shooting. Deputies say they found a 29-year-old Hispanic man with gunshot wounds on the ground by a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche and was determined to be deceased.
The release further states that a 31-year-old black man and a 14-year-old juvenile were also on the scene when deputies first arrived. The 31-year-old is the owner of the Avalanche is said to be a friend of the juvenile’s family. Both awaited for deputies at the scene and cooperated throughout the investigative process.
Deputies say the 14-year-old told them he fired the shots that hit and killed the Hispanic man, resulting in the juvenile in being detained for questioning.
During the investigation, investigators say they learned the Hispanic man lived behind the juvenile’s house and came on to the property several times that day uninvited and assaulted the juvenile’s brother, who is also a minor. They go on to say that he charged at the 14-year-old with a knife, who jumped into the Avalanche and attempted to shut the door. The Hispanic man attempted to get into the truck where he was shot at with a pistol, as the 14-year-old grabbed it from the truck, as said by in the release.
It was determined that juvenile would not be charged in the case at the time and was released to his mother’s custody.
“This was a tragic result from an unfortunate set of circumstances,” said Sheriff Barry Faile. “Based upon what we know from the investigation up to this point, the shooting was justified. The investigation is continuing, and we are following up on additional information. We will also look at the autopsy report and the results of forensic testing on the evidence collected. We will take appropriate action if any information we develop changes our initial assessment of this incident.”
