Last Halloween a 12-year-old Sumter boy, his 9-year-old brother and his father went trick-or-treating when things turned deadly. Police say a gunman fired nearly 30 shots at the family. Several of those bullets hit the pre-teen, killing him.
The scary situation last Halloween continues to spook some Sumter County residents.
"After last year, we're like 'No, no more trick-or-treating for us,'" said resident Tina Dinkins.
Dinkins remembers the murder that took the life of 12-year-old T.J. Darrisaw last year. The pre-teen was gunned down while trick-or-treating at a home off Wise Drive. Dinkins says the deadly shooting left her feeling uneasy.
"That was not but a block away from my sisters house, so we're like we're not going to trick-or-treat," said Dinkins.
"It certainly caught us off guard--certainly a tragic event," said Sumter Police Captain Alvin Holston.
Holston calls the incident isolated. The man charged with the murder is 22-year-old Quentin Patrick. Captain Holston says Darrisaw's family wants everyone to learn from the tragedy.
"From the parents of our victim they are certainly encouraging the Halloween event to carry on, with the exception of adding due caution," said Captain Holston.
This includes keeping a close eye on your children. It's a practice Dinkins already follows.
"We do the church things, the school things and that's it," said Dinkins. "That's very important. We worry about that because you never know."
But what Dinkins does know, is this real life horror has continued to rattle the community.
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