On Sunday, June 5, 2016, a violent incident unfolded on Black Road in southern Greenville County, South Carolina, claiming the life of a 24-year-old Black / African American man named Frederick Jeremy Babb. Known to friends and family as Jeremy, the Simpsonville resident was discovered in a driveway suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. In a final, desperate attempt to survive, Babb managed to use his cell phone to call 911, informing the operator that he had been shot.
Despite his efforts to summon help, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene by responding authorities.
Investigators examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting suggested that Babb might have been lured to the specific location by someone familiar to him. His father, Frederick W. Babb, later shared with the press that he believed his son had been set up, possibly with the intent of robbery, although a significant amount of money was reportedly found on the victim's person. The tragedy resonated deeply within the Babb family, occurring almost exactly thirty years after Jeremy’s cousin was killed in a similar act of gun violence in Greenville, a coincidence that compounded the family's grief.
Following an investigation by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement officials identified a suspect in connection with the homicide. Tony Curtis Pepper Jr., who was 19 years old at the time, was arrested and taken into custody. Pepper was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He was held at the Greenville County Detention Center without bond as the legal process commenced, bringing a measure of answers to a grieving community while the investigation remained open regarding potential additional suspects.
