In the early morning hours of May 30, 2021, a dispute in a Greenville, South Carolina convenience store parking lot turned fatal, claiming the life of 54-year-old Willie Smallwood Jr. A White male, Smallwood was in the parking lot of the QT on Grove Road when an altercation broke out shortly before 1:00 a.m. The heated exchange escalated, tragically ending when Smallwood was shot.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office pronounced him dead at the scene.
Law enforcement was quick to respond, and deputies soon spotted a vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting. A pursuit began, during which the suspect, later identified as 30-year-old Brandon Tyquawn Boozer, was seen throwing a firearm from the vehicle's window. The chase concluded at another QT parking lot located on Woodruff Road. After his vehicle was stopped, Boozer attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended by the pursuing deputies.
Following his arrest, Brandon Tyquawn Boozer was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime in connection with the death of Willie Smallwood Jr. The investigation suggested that the shooting was the direct result of the altercation between the two men. The specifics of what led to the initial dispute have not been made widely public. Legal proceedings against Boozer were initiated following the charges being filed.
