COLUMBIA, SOUH CAROLINA: Three teenage schoolboys, Caleb Wise, 16, Jakobe Fanning, 16, and Dre’Von Riley, 17, were killed in a tragic shooting in South Carolina on Monday, September 25.
Authorities have taken into custody 17-year-olds Karlos Damon Gibson and Jahkeem Griffin, alongside an unnamed 14-year-old suspect.
All three boys now face charges that include three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and possession of a deadly weapon during a violent crime, as per the NY Post.
Why was Caleb Wise shot?
Caleb Wise was a 16-year-old student, attending Eau Claire High School in Columbia, South Carolina.
"My brother was 16-years-old. Didn’t mess with anybody," his sister, Alexis said, according to WISTV.
However, during a news conference on Monday, September 25, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the shooting happened over a burglary that took place a couple of years ago.
“A beef that just continues to grow, then young people decide that they’re going to solve it by shooting,” Lott said, as per WIS News 10.
The suspects have been held at the Alvin S Glenn Detention Center, with no bond set for Griffin or Gibson at this time.
A judge decided that their bond would need to be set during the general sessions.
On September 26, Tuesday, Wise's sister, accompanied by several family members, attended the suspect's initial court appearance at the Detention Center, prepared to tell the judge the impact this shooting has had on their lives.
Wise expressed that she was informed the suspect's initial court appearance would start at 2 pm. However, both Griffin and Gibson appeared before a judge earlier than expected, causing the families to miss the chance to speak in court.
"We wanted to be there," said Alexis Wise. "They should never get a bond because this should’ve never happened."
"I feel like us as grieving families because the other families were here as well and us as grieving families shouldn’t be getting the runaround," she said.
"Families are ruined," she continued, adding, "This isn’t just a happening. We aren’t going to get Caleb back,"
"Those young men are in jail for life. We have to visit Caleb in a tombstone. Their families are going to have to visit them behind bars. This is not a good thing," said Wise’s godmother.
Gibson and Griffin are scheduled for their next court appearance on November 8. Both have been charged as adults.
Meanwhile, 14-year-old suspect will appear before a judge in family court, but the specific date for the court hearing has not been determined.
How did Caleb Wise die?
The incident occurred around 2 pm when the three perpetrators allegedly opened fire on their victims while they were seated in front of an abandoned house in Columbia.
Moreover, the shooters followed them as they attempted to run into the backyard before making their escape.
Victim Jakobe Fanning had a 'beautiful personality'
Linda Maxwell, a school volunteer and family friend, shared that she had the opportunity to see Jakobe Fanning, 16, every day, according to WLTX.
"Beautiful personality beautiful person when I tell you you call his name all you do is smile so that they let you know right there the love that he has on the inside as a reflection on house," she said.
