According to police, a South Carolina man allegedly shot and killed an 11-year-old girl at his neighbor’s house, with the intention of “killing everybody” inside.
Reuben Arthur Leonard, 80, was charged with murder for allegedly shooting his wife, Felicia Leonard, 76, and an 11-year-old girl named Ashly McFarland.
According to a Facebook post, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a shooting at a home in Sumter, a city about 45 miles east of Columbia, at 10:32 p.m. on April 16. Witnesses identified Leonard as the man who entered his neighbours’ home and started “firing a weapon.”
According to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Leonard was reportedly upset about his neighbours shooting targets in their yard and had repeatedly complained to police. Leonard allegedly went into his neighbours’ home and opened fire just days after filing a complaint.
At a press conference, Sumter County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Hampton Gardner stated that Leonard entered the residence “home invasion style” with an assault rifle and a second weapon. Gardner claims Leonard “struck and killed” Ashly, who died “instantly.”
According to an online fundraiser, Ashly’s father was “also hit stopping [the] attacker from shooting others.” Other family members at the neighbours’ house allegedly tackled Leonard to the ground and restrained him until police arrived.
Gardner stated at the press conference that there were “10 or 11 people” inside the home, and Leonard’s intentions were “to kill everybody at that residence.” He also stated that it was “unprovoked, senseless, and something like this should never occur.”
When officers arrived on the scene, Leonard allegedly admitted to shooting and killing his wife, who was discovered dead of a gunshot wound in the Leonards’ garage.
Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis previously stated, “This is a horrific incident, and our investigators are working diligently to uncover all the details.”
When asked about the alleged shooting’s motive, Gardner told the press that Leonard had been calling the police on his neighbours for a “few weeks” because “the people on Floyd Drive were target practicing in their backyard.”
He confirmed that they were not violating any laws and were “nowhere near” Leonard’s property. Gardner claimed that no other neighbours had complained about the target practice.
According to local NBC affiliate WIS, Leonard was charged with breach of peace on April 14 after confronting his neighbours several times and calling the police.
Gardner stated that Leonard’s motivation for the alleged murder of his wife was unclear. He stated at the press conference that Leonard did not have dementia or any other mental illness.
Leonard was taken to the hospital for treatment for injuries sustained while being restrained by his neighbours, and he was eventually booked into the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Centre.
He was charged with several felonies, including two counts of murder and seven attempted murders. Due to the serious nature of the charges, a judge ordered that he be held without bond during his first court appearance on April 18. He reportedly has another hearing scheduled for June 6.