Two young South Carolina boys will be charged by authorities in connection to the fatal shooting of a 62-year-old man who was riding his tractor on family property.
The two boys, ages 8 and 9, are accused of shooting Danny Andrew Smith with a .22 caliber rifle on June 23, according to Fox 5.
Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw is seeking involuntary manslaughter charges against both boys in connection to the shooting death along Coffee Road.
"After a consultation with the Solicitor's Office, and based on the evidence obtained in our ongoing investigation, we believe that both juvenile males discharged a firearm in a reckless manner in the direction of Mr. Smith who was bush hogging on some family property," said Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw in a news statement Friday.
"At this time, it is still undetermined which shot ultimately struck and killed Mr. Smith. However, based upon South Carolina law, the hand of one is the hand of all and that is why Family Court has been petitioned in regards to charging both juveniles with Involuntary Manslaughter," the statement continued.
The rifle in question has been obtained by officials. The sheriff's office will not release information on motive or where the firearm was obtained due to the ongoing investigation. Because the two are minors, the names will not be released.
"Under South Carolina law, juveniles under the age of 10 cannot be detained so both juveniles have been remanded to the custody of the parents as the judicial proceedings continue," Crenshaw added.
Officers responded after Smith's wife called the police when she was unable to make contact with him. Smith was located slumped over the steering wheel of his still-running tractor that had gone down an embankment and struck a tree. An autopsy revealed that Smith has died from a single gunshot wound to the back.
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