Rock Hill residents are in shock after a Tuesday night shooting took two lives, including a 4-year-old boy, in a quiet neighborhood off Frank Street. Around 7:30 p.m., police say they were called to a home where gunfire had erupted. When officers got there, they found a 19-year-old man and the little boy suffering from gunshot wounds. Both died from their injuries at the scene or shortly after.
Police say the violence began with an argument inside the house between the 19-year-old and 34-year-old Cedric Akeen Creighton of Lancaster. What may have started as a disagreement quickly turned into an exchange of gunfire. Witnesses told investigators the two men kept shooting even as they moved outside the home. Amid that crossfire, the child inside was struck.
Creighton survived his injuries and was taken to a hospital. He faces serious charges, including two counts of murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Once he is treated and released from the hospital, authorities say he will be booked into the county jail.
Neighbors described the scene as surreal and heartbreaking. People who know the area say Frank Street is usually calm, and the sudden violence has left families uneasy and grieving. Some recall hearing multiple gunshots and seeing heavy police presence long into the night as officers secured the scene and collected evidence.
Law enforcement officials have not disclosed what sparked the argument that led to the shooting. Investigators continue to piece together the events that turned a family home into a scene of violence.
Community leaders are urging calm while the investigation continues. They are calling on neighbors to support the families who lost loved ones and to work together toward preventing such senseless violence in the future. Many residents say they want answers and changes that will help protect children and teens in their neighborhoods.
