Sir James Anthony Robinson was a 17-year-old Black male whose family remembered him as a cherished young man with a future ahead of him. To one aunt, he was "the son I never had," and to his father, he was his only child. His life was cut short in a burst of gunfire in his hometown of Goose Creek, South Carolina.
On the evening of September 22, 2022, Robinson and four other people met Auquan Grier in the parking lot of a local Taco Bell.
According to police, the meeting was arranged for a marijuana transaction. Surveillance video reportedly showed Grier reaching into the driver's side window of the vehicle where Robinson was sitting. When Robinson attempted to drive away, Grier allegedly opened fire on the car, striking and killing Robinson and wounding another passenger. In the wake of his death, his family held a public walk-through and a Celebration of Life service to honor his memory.
The investigation led to a suspect nearly a month later. U.S. Marshals located and arrested Auquan Grier in Florence, South Carolina. Robinson's father, James Robinson, described feeling a moment of "joy and relief" upon hearing of the arrest, knowing his son might get justice. Grier was charged with murder, four counts of attempted murder, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
The Robinson family pledged to be a constant presence throughout the legal proceedings. Robinson's father vowed to attend every court hearing to ensure the person responsible would not have the chance to harm another family. He and other family members were present in court as the case against Grier began to move forward.
In a hearing on March 4, 2024, Grier's attorney requested that his client be granted bond, noting he had no prior record and claiming that Grier had been pulled into the car during the incident. Robinson's father asked the judge to deny the request, fearing what might happen if Grier were released. Judge Deadra Jefferson denied bond for Grier. As of March 2024, the case was proceeding toward a trial, which prosecutors indicated could take place by the end of the year.
