OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. — A 15-year-old boy is charged with involuntary manslaughter after investigators say a 9mm handgun discharged while he was handling it in his bedroom on Oct. 9, killing his 15-year-old friend in an Oconee County shooting that authorities say appears to have been accidental.
TL;DR: The teen retrieved a 9mm Taurus pistol from underneath a pillow in his bedroom, and the gun fired while he was handling it, striking 15-year-old Thaddues Justice Terezakis of Westminster in the head. Terezakis was pronounced dead at 12:25 p.m. on Oct. 9. The 15-year-old is being held at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia on an involuntary manslaughter charge, while his legal guardian, 33-year-old Davina Jill Brown, was arrested on a warrant alleging she allowed the teen to possess or have access to the handgun. The investigation remains ongoing.
What investigators say happened
According to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting happened on Oct. 9 inside the 15-year-old’s home. The teen pulled a 9mm Taurus handgun from under a pillow in his bedroom and began handling it. At some point the pistol discharged, and the bullet struck Thaddues Justice Terezakis, 15, of Westminster, in the head.
The Oconee County Coroner’s Office said Terezakis was pronounced dead at 12:25 p.m. that day.
Deputies said the shooting appears to have been accidental. They have not said who else was in the home at the time, how the gun ended up under the pillow, or whether the teen knew the weapon was loaded. Those details may emerge as the investigation continues.
Charges for the teen — and his guardian
The 15-year-old was taken into custody and charged with involuntary manslaughter, a charge South Carolina law applies to killings that result from criminal negligence rather than intent. Because he is a minor, he is being held at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia while the case moves forward.
In a less common second arrest, deputies also took Davina Jill Brown, 33, into custody. Investigators identified Brown as a family member and the legal guardian of the teen. An arrest warrant alleges she allowed the 15-year-old to possess or have access to the handgun. She is being held at the Oconee County Detention Center.
Prosecutors have not announced how they intend to proceed in either case, and officials say the investigation is still active.
Why guardians can face charges too
When a child gains access to an unsecured firearm, investigators often look beyond the person holding the gun. Adults who own guns — and especially legal guardians — can face criminal liability when they leave weapons where minors can reach them.
South Carolina is among the states where prosecutors have increasingly charged adults after children are killed or injured with unsecured guns. The theory is straightforward: a loaded pistol under a bedroom pillow is not stored; it is staged for tragedy.
Law enforcement agencies across the state routinely urge gun owners to keep firearms unloaded, locked, and stored separately from ammunition, particularly in homes where teenagers live or visit. In this case, the warrant suggests investigators believe the guardian failed that basic responsibility.
A community mourning a 15-year-old
Westminster, a small city in Oconee County near the Georgia line, is the kind of place where the loss of a teenager reverberates through schools, churches, and ballfields. Terezakis was 15 — a high school student whose death has left family and friends grieving a life cut short in an instant.
Accidental shootings involving teens follow a grim pattern nationwide: an unsecured gun, a moment of curiosity, and a trigger pulled before anyone grasps the consequence. Each case is its own tragedy, but the circumstances repeat with numbing regularity.
For now, two families are living through the aftermath — one mourning a son, the other facing a criminal case that could shape a teenager’s future. Both will be watching as the Oconee County investigation runs its course.
Source: Greenville News
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Oconee County shooting?
On Oct. 9, a 15-year-old boy retrieved a 9mm Taurus handgun from under a pillow in his bedroom. The gun discharged while he was handling it, striking his friend Thaddues Justice Terezakis, 15, of Westminster, in the head. Terezakis was pronounced dead at 12:25 p.m. Investigators say the shooting appears accidental.
Who was the victim?
Thaddues Justice Terezakis, 15, of Westminster, South Carolina. The Oconee County Coroner’s Office pronounced him dead at 12:25 p.m. on Oct. 9.
What is the 15-year-old charged with?
Involuntary manslaughter. Because he is a minor, he is being held at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia while the case proceeds.
Why was the teen’s guardian arrested?
Davina Jill Brown, 33, a family member and the teen’s legal guardian, was arrested on a warrant alleging she allowed the 15-year-old to possess or have access to the handgun. She is being held at the Oconee County Detention Center.
Was the shooting intentional?
According to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting appears to have been accidental. The investigation remains ongoing.
What kind of gun was involved?
Investigators identified it as a 9mm Taurus handgun that had been left underneath a pillow in the teen’s bedroom.
Where is Oconee County?
Oconee County is in the northwestern corner of South Carolina, bordering Georgia and North Carolina. Westminster is a small city within the county.
What happens next in the case?
The investigation is ongoing. The teen remains in juvenile custody in Columbia, and Brown remains in the Oconee County Detention Center. Prosecutors have not announced their next steps.
Featured image: A police vehicle parked beside a crime scene. Image via Britain Herald.
