Quick-draw competition between friends leaves 1 dead, deputies say – KKTV
Two friends were playing a game when one of them shot and killed the other on Friday, September 23, leaving the other man dead. James Marcus Turner, 21, was charged with shooting and killing his friend during a quick draw game.
Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office reports that he has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, September 23, at a residence on Red Raven Drive in Greer, SC.
Quick draw, also called a fast draw, refers to the ability to quickly draw and accurately fire a handgun. Old West gunfights have inspired idealized depictions of gunslingers engaged in quick draw combat.
Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Raelan Cole Hamilton, 21. Apparently, Hamilton and Turner had been good friends since middle school, and they both loved guns.
What led to this? As reported by Lt. Kevin Bobo of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Turner and Hamilton were competing to draw the fastest. It wasn’t the first time they tried this. Turner said they both had already done this type of quick draw competition about 14 times that night.
Bobo said each man started with an unloaded gun, inserted a loaded clip, but did not chamber the round, then pulled the trigger.
According to Turner, he accidentally chambered the 15th round from his gun’s clip due to muscle memory that night, killing his friend.
Bobo said, “When he pulled the trigger, he tragically shot his friend by mistake.”
Hamilton was pronounced dead on the scene by deputies and medical personnel after responding to a 911 call.
Turner and his grandfather gave consistent statements about the incident at the sheriff’s office. Furthermore, Bobo said that the physical evidence supported their claims. An investigation led to the involuntary manslaughter charge against Turner.
For more coverage on this story, see additional news sources below:
WYFF Game of ‘Quick Draw’ leads to shooting death of friend; Spartanburg County man charged
Quick-draw competition between friends leaves 1 dead, deputies say KKTV
Quickdraw Gun Fight Between Friends Leaves 1 Dead The Daily Beast