A 16-year-old Calhoun County resident is facing murder charges after allegedly hallucinating and fatally shooting a neighbor, authorities say.
The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identity of the victim as 19-year-old Darius Aiken, a former Clarendon Hall student who had recently returned to Elloree from Summerton.
Deputies responded to a residence in the 300 block of Cardinal Road around 8 p.m. on March 14, where they found two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Aiken was pronounced dead at the scene, while the second victim was airlifted to Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to investigators, the 16-year-old suspect, whose identity has not been released due to his age, had allegedly consumed a marijuana-laced gummy prior to the shooting. Witnesses told deputies that the teen reported feeling hot and began panicking.
“When he entered the kitchen, he observed two individuals ‘wearing white masks,’” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “He stated he went to his father’s bedroom, retrieved a shotgun, cocked it, and returned to the kitchen.”
The suspect then fired at Aiken, killing him, and shot at the second victim, who was struck by bullet shrapnel while attempting to flee.
Sheriff Thomas Summers later clarified that the victims were not wearing masks, and the suspect had been socializing with them before the shooting.
Authorities are investigating whether the edible the teen consumed may have been laced with a hallucinogenic substance. The suspect has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Remembering Darius Aiken
Aiken was a 2024 graduate of Clarendon Hall, where he was well known for his bright personality and infectious smile. The school community is mourning his loss, remembering him as a beloved member of the Clarendon Hall family.
“To know Darius was to love him, and he had a smile that would light up the room,” Clarendon Hall shared in a statement. “Please keep his family in your prayers, especially our Dean of Students, Alison Fry.”
Aiken spent his high school years living with Alison Fry and her family, a relationship she described as profoundly life-changing.
“Darius walked into our lives, and we didn’t even know we needed him,” Fry wrote in a heartfelt social media tribute. “I never thought it was possible to love a child so much who wasn’t my biological child … He always had a way to make me laugh, even on some of the darkest days.”
Fry shared that Aiken had once confided in her that he felt he had no family, but in her words, “D, you had no clue how loved and precious you truly were to so many.”
Clarendon Hall held a time of prayer in Aiken’s memory at 8:15 a.m. on Monday morning, with students, staff, and community members gathering in remembrance.
As the investigation into Aiken’s tragic death continues, his loved ones are leaning on their faith and the support of the community.
“Though life is never perfect, I praise God for the wonderfully blended family He has given me. I praise God for the gift of Darius,” Fry said. “We may not get everything perfect, but we love each other hard, and I can’t thank God enough for Clarendon Hall.”
