A quiet neighbourhood in South Carolina has been left devastated after an 80-year-old man allegedly killed his wife and then walked next door to fatally shoot an 11-year-old girl in a shocking act of violence.
Arthur Leonard is accused of entering his neighbours’ home in Sumter County on the night of April 16 armed with an assault rifle. According to the sheriff’s office, there were about 10 or 11 people inside when he opened fire, reported PEOPLE.
Chief Deputy Hampton Gardner confirmed in a press conference that an 11-year-old girl, later identified by the Sumter County Coroner’s Office as Ashly McFarland, was killed in the attack. A GoFundMe page set up by the family also claimed that Ashly’s father was shot while trying to stop Leonard.
When police arrived shortly before 11 p.m., they found relatives holding Leonard back inside the home. Emergency crews tried to save Ashly, but she was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
In a shocking twist, while Leonard was being booked into custody, he allegedly told deputies that he’d also killed his wife. Officers went to check his home and found 76-year-old Felicia Leonard dead in the garage with a gunshot wound.
Deputy Gardner said tensions had been building for some time between Leonard and his neighbours, largely over their backyard target shooting — which, under South Carolina law, is legal. Leonard had apparently called the sheriff’s office several times to complain, and deputies were familiar with the ongoing situation.
Just two days before the deadly incident, court records show Leonard had been arrested on a breach of peace charge.
Following the shootings, Leonard was treated at a local hospital for injuries before being transferred to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. As of now, no lawyer has been listed for him.
The local community has been left in mourning, especially over the death of young Ashly. The Sumter School District issued a heartfelt statement, saying: “She was a bright and joyful student who made a lasting impact on her classmates, teachers, and school community. Her passing is a heartbreaking loss.”
Sheriff Anthony Dennis said investigators are still piecing together what led to this tragic night, and more details will be shared as the case unfolds.
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