Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Columbia, SC: Deputies: Man Shot Girlfriend, Killed Himself at Daycare

Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Richland County deputies say a man shot his girlfriend, then killed himself, outside a daycare in Northeast Richland County.

The crime took place around 9:45 a.m. at 1612 Summit Ridge Drive outside Tucker's Daycare, an in-home daycare facility

Deputies say that 18-year-old Henry Ellison III shot 21-year-old Kiara Smith after the two had an argument, then turned the gun on himself.

According to Captain Chris Cowan with the Richland County Sheriff's Department, the man's mother, who owns the daycare, drove Ellison over to the house.

Detectives say Smith works at the daycare.

Deputies say the two got into a verbal fight, and at some point during the confrontation, the man pulled out a gun and fired at Smith, wounding her.

According to deputies, the woman was able to drive herself to the hospital, where she is said to have non life-threatening injuries. The man was pronounced dead at the hospital.

There were children at the daycare at the time of the incident, but it's not clear if they witnessed the shooting. None of them were physically harmed.

Late Tuesday, deputies confirmed that several children were in the car Smith drove to the hospital.

The shooting location matches DSS records of Shirley Tucker's Family Child Care Facility, a daycare run out of a home. DSS reports the facility has a capacity for six children.

Catina Greene lives in the neighborhood, and said that the daycare is well regarded in the community.

"She has never had any complaints outside of her home daycare center," said Greene. "The babies loved her and she loved the babies. We really don't know what really happened there. All we know is that a mother has lost her son and that's a heart breaking situation."

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