In the early hours of Mother's Day, May 14, 2017, the life of 17-year-old Makiya Alexandria Hawkins was tragically cut short in Taylors, South Carolina. A promising Wade Hampton High School senior, just weeks away from graduation, Makiya was caught in what authorities have described as gang-related crossfire. The shooting occurred behind the Pavilion Recreation Center, a popular gathering spot for local youth.
That Saturday evening, Makiya had attended a house party to celebrate her
upcoming graduation. After the party was broken up by deputies, a large crowd of over 100 people moved to the Pavilion. Shortly after midnight, gunshots rang out. Makiya, an innocent bystander, was struck by a bullet. First responders found her on the ground with a gunshot wound and she was rushed to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries later that day.
The investigation into Makiya's death has been fraught with challenges for the Greenville County Sheriff's Office. Despite the large number of potential witnesses present at the scene, investigators have struggled to obtain a clear account of the events that transpired. Many in the crowd were reluctant to come forward with information, hindering the identification of the person who fired the fatal shot.
In the course of their investigation, authorities arrested 18-year-old Ricky Murphy Jr. on charges of unlawful carry of a weapon and breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature. However, investigators have publicly stated that Murphy, while he did discharge a firearm at the scene, is not the individual responsible for Makiya's death. The person who fired the shot that killed Makiya Alexandria Hawkins remains at large. A reward is still being offered for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case, leaving a family and community still searching for justice.
