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Relatives of a South Carolina boy allegedly killed in a years-long “stupid” feud with other teenagers have accused officials of keeping them from facing his accused killers.
Alexis Wise, the sister of 16-year-old shooting victim Caleb Wise, told WIS-TV that her family had planned to see accused murders Jahkeem Griffin and Karlos Gibson, both 17, when they faced a judge for the first time on Tuesday.
Her family along with those of the other two gunned down teens say they were told to be at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Cente for the hearing at 2 p.m. — just to learn the accused killers had already appeared before they arrived.
“We wanted to be there!” Wise’s sister told the local station while fighting back tears.
She was outraged that her family — as well as those of fellow victims Jakobe Fanning, 16, and Dre’Von Riley, 17 — were ignored in their time of overwhelming grief.
“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,” Alexis said.
Her one solace, she said, is that the accused were not offered bond at the hearing they missed, with the judge saying it will have to be set later in general sessions, WIS-TV said.
“They should never get a bond because this should’ve never happened,” Alexis told the outlet, adding: “My brother was 16 years old, [he] didn’t mess with anybody.”
Griffin and Gibson are being tried as adults on charges including murder and attempted murder for the shooting Sunday that also injured a 14-year-old boy.
Another 14-year-old boy — who has not been identified because of his age — has also been charged in connection with the shooting.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the shooting came amid a dispute over a burglary from two years earlier, though he declined to give further details.
It was “over something stupid,” the sheriff said. “Over something that happened a couple of years ago. A beef that just continues to grow and then young people decide that they’re going to solve it by shooting.
“You have three teens who will never see adulthood,” he added. “This is because of what? A disagreement? ‘I don’t like you, you did something to me, so I’m gonna pay you back, so I’m gonna kill you?’”
Wise’s godmother said the shooting has destroyed several families.
“We aren’t going to get Caleb back,” the unidentified woman told WIS-TV.
“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.”
As the families waited outside, a judge decided not to set a bond for the two teenagers, who are being tried as adults.
The judge determined that their bond would have to be set in general sessions, according to WIS-TV.
“They should never get a bond because this should’ve never happened,” Alexis said, adding: “My brother was 16 years old, didn’t mess with anybody.”
The three teenagers opened fire on their victims while they were sitting in front of an abandoned home in Columbia, the state capital, just after 2 p.m., police said at a news conference Monday.
The gunmen allegedly charged after the teenagers when they tried to retreat into the backyard before fleeing.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the shooting came amid a dispute over a burglary from two years earlier, though he declined to give further details.
It remains unclear how they obtained the guns.
He said the tragedy was “over something stupid. Over something that happened a couple of years ago. A beef that just continues to grow and then young people decide that they’re going to solve it by shooting.
“You have three teens who will never see adulthood,” he added. “This is because of what? A disagreement? ‘I don’t like you, you did something to me, so I’m gonna pay you back, so I’m gonna kill you?’”
Wise’s godmother also said Tuesday that the shooting has now destroyed several families.
“Families are ruined, murderers’ families are ruined,” the unidentified woman told WIS-TV. “This isn’t just happening. We aren’t going to get Caleb back.
“Those young men are in jail for life,” she added. “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.”
Griffin and Gibson are due back in court on November 8 to face the charges as adults.
The 14-year-old suspect will also go before a judge in family court at a date yet to be determined.
