CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A Gaffney man was arrested Saturday for shooting his neighbor during target practice.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office charged Nicholas Skylar Lucas, 30, with involuntary manslaughter and shooting under the influence.
Deputies said they arrived at the 100 block of Songbird Lane in reference to a shooting with injuries.
Upon arrival, deputies found one victim with at least one gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Cherokee County Coroner’s Office identified the woman as Kesha Luwan Lucille Tate, 42, of Gaffney.
Investigators discovered that Lucas lived behind Tate. He was target practicing and shooting a gun in his backyard.
A bullet struck Tate who was standing at the back door inside her home. It caused fatal injuries, deputies said. A Family member told 7News Tate was preparing dinner for her children, who were inside the house, when she was shot.
“This is something you can’t believe,” he said. “You’re in your home cooking dinner for your kids, and you expect to sit down and eat with them. And now, something happened. The kids are crying for their mom. They want their mom. But they’re not ever going to see their mom again.”
The family member said Tate had been concerned about her neighbor firing a gun near her home since June.
Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Mueller released the following statement Sunday:
“This is a senseless death that could have been avoided had the gun owner been responsible and chosen a safer place to target practice. It is mind blowing that a person thinks it’s alright to target practice or discharge a gun with close proximity to so many other homes in a neighborhood. Unfortunately, it’s not against the law to be stupid or our jails would be even more overcrowded.”
“Our community needs to lift this victim’s family and her children up in prayer as they deal with this tragic loss.”
Sheriff Steve Mueller
An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday.
Lucas was arrested and booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center.
