A 13-year-old boy from Ladson, South Carolina used his mother's handgun to fire at two intruders attempting to break in to his family's home.
The boy's name and the names of his family members are not being released to the public due to the boy's age. The 13-year-old was home alone on Nov. 10, 2015 at around 1:30 p.m. when he noticed a vehicle pull into the home's backyard. The boy became suspicious and grabbed his mother's handgun. When the two men, now identified as Lamar Anthwa Brown, 31, and Ira Bennett, 28, began attempting to break in, the boy opened fire on them by shooting through the back door. The intruders returned fire, but the boy was not struck. As Brown and Bennett fled in a gray Chevy Sonic, the boy continued to fire at them.
In total Brown was hit by three rounds. He was dropped off at Trident Medical Center by Bennett. Brown died of his injuries, and Bennett was quickly arrested. When asked by investigators from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office how his friend and vehicle came to have several fresh bullet holes, Bennett claimed they had been shot at while on the highway.
An investigation of the crime scene produced a Colt .45 pistol that was found in the backyard of the home in Ladson, and the family says it does not belong to them. Forensic reports in the coming days will likely prove the Colt .45 was used to shoot at the boy, as will gunpowder residue tests to prove if it was Brown or Bennett who opened fire.
The intruders had a litany of convictions between the two. Brown had been previously convicted of unlawful carrying of a weapon, disorderly conduct, trespassing, and six felony charges related to drugs. Bennett was convicted of manufacturing and distributing a controlled substance, assault with intent to kill, pointing a firearm at a person, and third-degree burglary according to postcourier.com.
Ira Bennett has been charged with first degree burglary and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. South Carolina has some of the toughest burglary laws in the United States. If convicted of first degree burglary Bennett faces life in prison due to his previous burglary conviction. Possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime is a supplemental charge which, if convicted, will add an additional five years to the sentence of the principle crime. He is currently being held in the Berkeley County Detention Center awaiting his next court appearance.
Article originally published in my now discontinued column on Examiner.com on November 11, 2015.