Man arrested for allegedly fatally shooting 8-year-old on family vacation in South Carolina

FLORENCE, S.C. (TCD) -- A 40-year-old man was taken into custody following a standoff for allegedly opening fire at moving cars and striking a little boy on vacation with his family.

According to the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, on Saturday, May 28, at 2 p.m., deputies received a call about shots being fired into cars along Old River Road. The bullet struck 8-year-old Quarius Naqua Dunham, and he later died from his wounds. Quarius' father suffered a gunshot wound to his leg, though his injuries are not life-threatening.

Florence County deputies identified Charles Montgomery Allen as the alleged shooter and went to his residence on Old River Road. He was eventually taken into custody after a "brief standoff" with the Florence County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team.

An autopsy will be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Allen was taken into custody on charges of murder, attempted murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

WPDE-TV reports Quarius was originally taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery and was in critical condition. The little boy was taken off life support Sunday.

A family member told WPDE they were in town for a high school graduation and were driving to get some barbecue when Quarius and his father were shot.

According to the Portsmouth Herald, Quarius was in the third grade at Little Harbour School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Allen is reportedly no stranger to law enforcement. Florence County Sheriff TJ Joye reportedly said Allen has a "history." The Sheriff’s Office says Allen is being held at the Florence County Detention Center without bond.

A Facebook post by the New Hampshire Spartans basketball team described Quarius as "very passionate about basketball and had a bigger then [sic] life smile." Quarius was reportedly "always at the gym early working on his craft."

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