An elderly man from South Carolina has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting and killing an 11-year-old girl and his wife, according to local law enforcement. The suspect, 80-year-old Reuben Arthur Leonard, reportedly intended to “kill everybody” inside his neighbor’s home, where the incident took place.
The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office reported that officers responded to a shooting at a residence in Sumter, a city approximately 45 miles east of Columbia, on the evening of April 16. Witnesses identified Leonard as the individual who entered his neighbors’ home and began firing a weapon. The victims were identified as Leonard’s wife, 76-year-old Felicia Leonard, and 11-year-old Ashly McFarland.
Law enforcement officials stated that Leonard had previously expressed frustration about his neighbors shooting targets in their yard. He had lodged several complaints with the police about this activity. Shortly after his most recent complaint, Leonard allegedly entered his neighbors’ home and opened fire.
Sumter County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Hampton Gardner revealed during a press conference that Leonard was armed with an assault rifle and a second weapon when he entered the home. He reportedly killed Ashly instantly. An online fundraiser indicated that Ashly’s father was also shot while attempting to stop the attack. Other family members in the home managed to tackle Leonard and restrain him until authorities arrived.
Gardner stated that there were approximately 10 or 11 people inside the home at the time of the incident, and Leonard’s intention was to kill everyone present. He described the incident as “unprovoked, senseless, and something that should never occur.”
Upon arrival at the scene, Leonard allegedly confessed to officers that he had also shot and killed his wife. Her body was later found in the couple’s garage with a fatal gunshot wound.
Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis described the incident as “horrific,” and assured that investigators were working diligently to uncover all the details. Gardner confirmed that Leonard had been complaining about his neighbors’ target practice for several weeks, despite the fact that they were not breaking any laws and their property was a considerable distance from Leonard’s.
Leonard had previously been charged with breach of peace on April 14 after confronting his neighbors and repeatedly calling the police. The motive behind Leonard’s alleged murder of his wife remains unclear. Gardner stated that Leonard was not suffering from dementia or any other mental illness.
Following the incident, Leonard was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained while being restrained by his neighbors. He was later transferred to Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center, where he was charged with multiple felonies, including two counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder. During his first court appearance on April 18, Leonard was ordered to be held without bond due to the severity of the charges. His next hearing is scheduled for June 6.