In a moment that forever altered the lives of two families, 15-year-old Derrick Grant, a Black male, was fatally shot on January 17, 2018, in North Charleston, South Carolina. The chain of events leading to this tragic conclusion began a day earlier when Quadarrel Lamont Morton reported his girlfriend's 2013 Hyundai Sonata stolen after leaving it running with the keys inside at a store.
The following day, Morton spotted the stolen vehicle in his own neighborhood.
He told authorities he saw a male, later identified as Derrick Grant, approaching the car with the keys. According to Morton's account to a 911 dispatcher, he confronted the teenager, stating, 'Hey look, that's my car. What are you doing in my car?' Morton claimed that Grant then reached for something inside the vehicle, prompting him to fire his weapon. He reported firing once, and then a second time after seeing Grant reach again.
When police arrived at the scene on Celestial Court, they found Derrick Grant deceased inside the stolen car from a gunshot wound to the chest. Morton was taken into custody for questioning by detectives. A neighbor who witnessed the event stated they saw Morton 'took out a gun, aimed it into the front seat of the car. .. and just shot him.”
Ultimately, the North Charleston Police Department announced that no charges would be filed against Quadarrel Lamont Morton in the death of Derrick Grant. Authorities concluded that the shooting was justified under the circumstances, a decision that sparked considerable debate within the community regarding self-defense laws. The case did not result in any arrests or further legal action against Morton.
