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8 and 9 Year Old Boys Charged In Shooting Death of South Carolina Man

8 and 9-year-old boys have been charged with the shooting death of a South Carolina man.  Two children are facing charges in connection to a fatal shooting. The eight-and nine-year-old…

8 and 9 year old boys charged in shooting

(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

8 and 9-year-old boys have been charged with the shooting death of a South Carolina man.  Two children are facing charges in connection to a fatal shooting. The eight-and nine-year-old boys are accused of shooting a rifle at Danny Smith as he rode his tractor in a field near Westminster last month. Sherrif's deputies responded to the call from the victim's wife. She had found her husband, Danny Smith, unresponsive and collapsed on his tractor on the couple's property. According to the autopsy, he died due to a single gunshot wound in the back.

It is alleged that the two boys shot Smith with a .22 caliber rifle according to Fox 5 Atlanta. The boys, who remain unnamed as minors, were charged as juveniles with involuntary manslaughter. It is unknown which of the boys fired the shot that struck Smith. "After a consultation with the Solicitor’s Office, and based on the evidence obtained in our ongoing investigation, we believe that both juvenile males discharged a firearm in a reckless manner in the direction of Mr. Smith who was bush hogging on some family property," per Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw. Both boys, due to their age, have been returned to their parents. Officials have not said how the boys got the rifle or why they shot at Smith.  Do you think the 8 and 9-year-old boys should be charged in the shooting death? If not should the parents be held responsible?

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.