12 Year Trick-Or-Treater Shot And Killed

According to reports, a 12-year-old boy has been shot dead while playing trick-or-treat on Halloween night. Quentin Patrick and his family had decided to stop at some houses on the way home from a city event in Sumter, South Carolina.

The family was headed home from a city-sponsored event downtown when they decided to stop at a few homes, Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson said. The father and his four children approached a home with a porch light on about 8:30 p.m. local time while their mother waited nearby in a vehicle.

As the family was at the door, they thought they heard fireworks. The 12-year-old boy, his father and brother were all hit by the gunfire. The boy died at a hospital, Coroner Verna Moore said. The other two children were not hurt.

Shooting suspect Quentin Patrick, 22, has been charged with murder and three counts of assault and battery with intent to kill.

Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson said there were other people inside the house but they are not expected to be charged.

Neighbours ignored the commotion, thinking it was a Halloween prank.

"I thought, trick-or-treat night - pranks go down. Anything goes," said Lenwood Dixon, 49.

"I heard a noise like maybe gunfire, then my daughter saw a bunch of lights flashing and saw some cops."

In his six years in the neighbourhood, Mr Dixon said he wasn't aware of any violent crimes. He said a few trick-or-treaters had been on his block that night.

"I'm surprised. Since I was here, I'd never heard of anything like that happening," he said.

"It's a quiet neighborhood.''