Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017

(News 12 First at Five)

WARRENVILLE, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) – A Warrenville neighborhood is quiet today, still facing turmoil inside.

"At the end of the day, somebody's got a dead son."

That victim is 24-year-old Timothy Johnson, who died from a gunshot wound Tuesday in this community off Beckham Rd.

Aiken County deputies were out again today investigating.

"This is still under investigation, but the bottom line is that it's never appropriate to give a child a gun."

Sheriff Michael Hunt says Davis gave his son the gun and pointing to Johnson said ‘get him.' They're unsure if other children were there, and don't know where the child's mother is.

"DSS is responsible for placing this child in the proper, safe care and they've done that."

Now the three-year-old is in protective care. Today his father appeared in court.

Judge: "No contact in compliance with DSS."

Davis: "That's my son."

Albert Davis who allegedly gave his son the stolen gun that killed Johnson was denied bond and told not to have any contact with the victim's family--or his three-year-old son.

"You are also to comply with DSS and all their requests and recommendations."

Even though investigators don't think Davis pulled the trigger, he's charged with murder for allegedly handing the gun to his son.

"A young life was taken down in its prime,” said neighbor Marie Kuhns.

Now the question, why?

"Why? Why give a gun, a real gun, to a child?"

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017

(News 12 First at Five)

WAYNESBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- "Why? Why give a gun, a real gun to a child?"

Resident Marie Kuhns and a Warrenville neighborhood are reeling.

"It's awful."

A Sheriff lost for words.

"I've never had a case like this that I can remember. This is just a shocking case, and I can't fathom how anyone could ever think this was OK," said Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt.

Yesterday, a gathering on Beckham Road turned sour.

We don't know if they were friends like that or if they just knew each other," stated Sheriff Hunt.

Deputies say the victim, 24-year-old Timothy Johnson was shot by the 3-year-old son of Albert Davis after he pulled a gun out.

"It was given to the child and the child was told to 'get him.'"

"This was senseless. I can't say the word senseless enough for it," said Kuhns.

Kuhns' family witnessed the shooting. She says her brother-in-law tried to help.

"He was trying to help the man, trying to save his life. Trying to stop him from bleeding to death."

But it was too late.

"He felt the man's last breath go out of him. It left his body. And he knew that he was gone."

Kuhns and her family are stunned.

"I don’t know how we recover...a child. A child. This might be one of his only memories growing up."

The fact this child will have to live with that memory for the rest of his life shakes her to the core.

"How does he forget this?..... I'm sorry."