Murdered: TJ Darrisaw
Original Article Found at Yahoo! News
SUMTER, S.C. – An ex-convict who thought he was being robbed gunned down a 12-year-old trick-or-treater, spraying nearly 30 rounds with an assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door, police said Saturday.
Quentin Patrick, 22, is accused of killing 12-year-old T.J. Darrisaw on Friday night. T.J.’s 9-year-old brother, Ahmadre Darrisaw, and their father, Freddie Grinnell, were injured but were released after being treated at a hospital.
The family attended a Halloween celebration in downtown Sumter, 45 miles east of Columbia, then stopped at Patrick’s house because the porch light was on, police said. Another sibling was with them, but wasn’t hurt.
Police said at least two of the boys were wearing ghoulish masks when they knocked on the door. The boys’mother and a toddler stayed in the car nearby.
Patrick emptied his AK-47, shooting at least 29 times through his front door, walls and windows after hearing the knock, Police Chief Patty Patterson said.
He told police he had been robbed and shot in the past year.
November 1, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Crazy story. Poor kid. Makes you not want to take your kids Trick-or-Treating.
November 2, 2008 at 9:39 am
I’m sorry for the family’s loss in a time that’s so much about family, peace and caring. The reason for this tragedy given by police however, makes no sense. It seems to me that it’s a cheap cover-up for a more serious issue at the base of this. Maybe the perpetrator has been on drugs or was otherwise an unstable person. After all, a knock on the door at Halloween doesn’t imply burglary – nor did the man seem to have seen whom he was gunning down.
Hopefully, the killer will be brought to justice soon, so family and friends begin to have closure.
November 2, 2008 at 9:55 am
Door to door trick-or-treating has been unsafe for years now. I don’t understand why people think they’re (or their children) will always be the exception to dangerous situations. When you spend (hopefully) a lot of time teaching children never to talk to/trust a stranger and then walk them to a total stranger’s door and to take FOOD from them,- that makes no sense!
We must be – and teach our children to be – cautious of what we do not know.
If you choose to participate in Halloween. In todays world, it should be done through organized events with people you know.
My heart goes out to the family of this beautiful, precious little boy. I’m so sorry for their loss and pray they will be comforted in this horrific loss.
November 2, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Pretty simple–the killer was white racist trash who knew that it was a black family outside the door; consciously or unconsciously the fact that they were on his property became the ‘excuse’to unleash his hatred. (Note that although the boys were in costume, the father wasn’t,) The woman running away with the cash might be the one who peeked out the window and told the man to get his gun. The payoff could have been to make up some story about how they were trying to break down the door, or something like that.
November 2, 2008 at 9:53 pm
MP, where are you getting “the woman running away with the cash might be the one who peeked out the window and told the man to get his gun” from? What woman? What cash?
November 3, 2008 at 2:16 pm
MP,
You are a complete idiot. The killer in this instance might be racist trash, but he was NOT white racist trash. Get your facts straight. People like you always try to play the race card. Thats not what this is about. This is about a young boy who tragically lost his life at the hands of convicted criminal. This is about a family that is grieving the loss of a son and a brother. This is about a beautiful boy that is now gone not because of the color of his skin, not because of an “evil” firearm, but because a man decided to end his life; a man who should be punished to the fullest, swiftest and most terrible extent of the law for what he has done.
November 3, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Damn shame kids cant enjoy what is supposed to be a fun holiday for the kids!
November 3, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Mp you ARE an idiot. The killer was black and the victims were black. There goes your racist theory!! Get your facts straight . I do agree there is more to the story. A knock on the door does not make you think you are being robbed. Why the heck is anyone ALLOWED to have an AK 47 anyway.
November 4, 2008 at 10:40 am
A terrible, terrible waste of life, utterly tragic.
Val: as I understand it, the killer owned that weapon illegally because he was a convicted felon and isn’t allowed to own any gun. It’s terrifying to think though that people can get access to such weapons, legally or otherwise.
November 24, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I knew tony, he went to my church. I think this is really messed up. When i drive by the house where he got shot, I pray every time for his family. I can see the fear in his father’s eyes at church, of how scared he must of been. I didn’t really know tony, but i love him and his family. They didn’t deserve this at all.
November 24, 2008 at 4:55 pm
And tony’s father, it was never your fault. It wasn’t you fault for what happened or ANYTHING. Don’t blame yourself. You can’t trust the world now and days…
March 30, 2009 at 8:27 am
This story is just so sad. As a mother, it particularly upsets me. From everything I have read about this story, the shooter sounds like a complete idiot. The fact that he even had a gun in the first place, being that he was an ex-convict, the fact that he mentioned hearing a knock on the door and thinking he was going to be robbed. Burglars don’t usually knock on the door. If they did, there would always be option number 2: Don’t answer it. And the fact that the children were wearing ghoulish masks: It was Halloween! I admit, the thought of mental insanity crossed my mind. What an idiot. I agree with the above poster regarding why anyone would be carrying an AK-47. Right to bear arms aside, whatever your views on the gun issue are, high powered weapons should be banned.
October 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm
For the record, the murderer what black. The victims were black. The murder was a convicted felon who possesed weapons in his home illegally. The victims approached the house. According to testimony from the murderer himself, he looked out of the window, saw “masked people” walking up to his doorstep, and opened fire. Apparently, someone didn’t check the calender to see what day it was. Regardless, this is just a senseless murder that should have been avoided. However, police in Sumter County are pushing a safer holiday for the children of the town by handing out signs for those who wish to hand out candy this year. They are to place “Trick or Treaters Welcome Here” signs in their yards and parents and URGED not to take their children to homes that do not have these signs.
And, MP… You really are ignorant. Truth be told, you and many others like you are the reason why there is a race war going on. It’s just sad really.
April 10, 2010 at 11:09 am
so sad how many people got guns, the people who supply these guns are just as cold as the people who use them
November 30, 2010 at 4:39 pm
sorry for your loss! God Bless your family. i watched paranormal state yesterday night and learned of your son’s murder! i hope that animal is serving a long time in jail ! God Bless! my prayers are with you!
April 11, 2011 at 11:36 pm
I just saw Paranormal State; and the episode was on this case. I feel really awful for the kid. He’s a pretty nice looking boy. Throughout the show I hoped they would fully commuicate; but only noises, and movements occured.
I hope that the family is doing okay and that even though this was only a few years ago- that the boy has moved on and the family has as well.
xo
November 12, 2011 at 9:00 pm
this happened a while ago, i just watch paranormal state and found out about this horrible crime..I hope this guy stays in jail for a long time..Just another Piece of crap who just deserves to be wiped off the planet..waste of life..dirtbag. I will keep the boy and his family in my prayers.