Two boys shot man who was found dead on tractor, South Carolina cops say
Two boys, 8 and 9 years old, both fired shots, one of which hit and killed a man riding a tractor in upstate South Carolina last week, authorities said.
Now, a petition has been filed to charge the boys with involuntary manslaughter, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office announced in a news release Friday.
Danny Andrew Smith, 62, was found slumped over the steering wheel of his tractor after being shot to death June 23, McClatchy News previously reported. The coroner’s office said he died from a gunshot wound to the back.
“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,” Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw said in a statement Friday. “At this time, it is still undetermined which shot ultimately struck and killed Mr. Smith.”
Smith’s wife had reported him missing earlier that day after she was unable to reach him. His tractor was still running when authorities found him.
Police said a .22 caliber rifle was recovered and is being examined at the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division lab in Columbia, according to the news release.
South Carolina law prohibits children younger than 10 from being detained, Crenshaw said. So both boys will remain with their parents as the judicial process continues. Because they are juveniles, neither will be publicly identified.
Authorities said the shooting remains under investigation.
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Two boys shot man who was found dead on tractor, South Carolina cops say."