Posted on 07/08/2009 10:01:35 PM PDT by Chet 99
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office said a man shot and killed an 8-year-old child Wednesday afternoon and then shot himself.
Deputies said Ricky Lee Blackwell picked up his estranged wife and the daughter of the woman's new boyfriend at about 3 p.m. He drove them to the woman's home on Ridings Road in the Cooley Springs community where the child, Heather Brooke Center, planned to swim and play with friends.
Witnesses said that's when Center got out of the car and the man put her in a headlock and shot her four times, killing her.
"He said something to the effect of, 'Maybe you'll hurt like I'm hurting,' and shot the girl four times," said Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright.
Three other children and a teenager witnessed the shooting, police said.
"They're just totally in shock," Wright said. "I mean, who does something like that to an 8-year-old in front of other kids?"
Investigators said Blackwell ran a short distance from the scene and into some woods.
Moments later, deputies approached him with guns drawn as he came out of the woods. The sheriff's office said deputies told him to drop his weapon, but Blackwell shot himself in the side.
He was transported to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center and was taken into surgery.
Deputies said if Blackwell survives, he will be charged with murder.
"I hope he makes it so he can stand trial," Wright said.
One of his relatives who went to the scene soon after the incident couldn't believe the news.
"This can't be real," said Blackwell's relative, Royanne Thompson. "This can't happen. This didn't happen."
Wright said Blackwell had some criminal record, but there was nothing violent in his history. There was no immediate word on his condition.
Well, I can always count on you to sniff out the most f***ed up news and post it on FR.
At least we’ve broadened our horizons from nothing but pitbull attacks.
Sad. RIP.
Anything I’d say would get me banned. I hope he dies is as good as I can say.
I hope the son of a b!tch lives, and spends the next 50 years until he dies in the general population of a federal prison.
What unspeakable evil. Thank G-d South Carolina still knows how to give the death penalty.
Throw him to the Pitbulls.
/sarc
BTW I just saw a snip on the news about an arrest on a spread of land where 200 or so dogs were kept for dog fighting.
Dont know if it was a pit bull type of dog or not.
I know Chet will keep the forum updated.
I need to know if it was his idea or his “estranged wife’s” idea for him to give her and her boyfriend’s little girl a ride.
It's another reason I can't stand the media circus around the child molester, Michael Jackson. Seeing his daughter cry over him while the Jacksons' hovered behind her like dark, hungry wraiths, without any sympathetic expressions for the girl just made me want to cringe.
I don't think we should hide from hideous evil acts. We should get to know evil or we'll never defeat it.
Hey honey do you and your lover’s daughter want a ride to the pool? Weird.
If there’s a hell this guy is going.
Forget the millstone. Just take him about 50 miles offshore and dump him. He couldn’t swim that far.
<Well, I can always count on you to sniff out the most f***ed up news and post it on FR.
Maybe, but that’s why I like you, Chet 99. Some of us are interested in “f***ed up news.”
I think marinading him in dead fish the night before you drop him 50 miles off the coast of Florida might be a good touch.
Not that it makes it any better or worse but can someone explain: She was 8 years old (so he has been divorced/separated for 8 years and is still this upset?)
I say let him die slowly and miserable....Someone should cut him with a chain saw as many times he shot the little girl...
If I understand this piece correctly, this *** killed this little girl just to hurt his ex- I really can’t say what I think about that.
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