CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A man has been arrested after an 11-year-old and a 74-year-old were seriously injured in a shooting early Sunday morning in Gaffney.
According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 600 block of Providence Road around 1:25 a.m. in reference to a shooting with injuries.
“Upon the arrival they located two gunshot victims, one was an 11-year-old child the other was a 74-year-old female,” Cherokee County Sheriff, Steve Mueller said.
The two injured were airlifted to the hospital to be treated for injuries as investigators worked to find out what happened.
Mueller said deputies were able to quickly identify their suspect, “Rodger Sintell Littlejohn” as their suspect.
“(Littlejohn) Got into a verbal confrontation with the people at 608 Providence Road went back to his home which is in the same initial area and then he retrieved a weapon from his home, an assault rifle.”
Authorities said Littlejohn then took the weapon back to 608 Providence Road and fired almost 40 rounds into the home.
“The other adults and other juvenile in the home are very fortunate that they were not struck at all; its a senseless tragedy,” Mueller added.
The sheriff’s office said Gaffney Police were called to help after Littlejohn fled the scene.
“This location sits right on the border between the county jurisdiction and the city limits of Gaffney so our officers responded as well as Gaffney City and they were able to catch him on foot in the nearby area was able to locate the assault weapon,” Mueller said.
Deputies said Littlejohn was arrested Sunday and faces 12 charges, including five counts of attempted murder.
“This case here is not a random act a violence. The parties knew each other so don’t know what led him to get into that state of mind that he thought it was okay to retrieve a weapon and start shooting into the home.”
Mueller added that what is certain, is that this case could have been much worse.
“With almost 40 rounds almost striking the home and only 2 people being struck, I would say that it was just the grace of God that no one else was struck with the hell of gun fire that was lobbied into the home by Mr. Littlejohn.”
Littlejohn is facing charges of:
- attempted murder (5 counts)
- possession of a weapon during a violent crime (5 counts)
- discharging a firearm into a dwelling
- use of a weapon while under the influence
Investigators would like anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the shooting to contact Sergeant John Underwood at (864) 489-4722.
