John David Morant, a 41-year-old male, was visiting friends and relatives in his former hometown of Saint Stephen, South Carolina, a departure from his life in Brooklyn, New York. On Wednesday, June 11, 2014, while at a trailer park in the rural town, his life was cut short by a gunshot wound to the back. He was rushed to Roper Berkeley Medical Center in Moncks Corner, but tragically was pronounced dead en route.
Known affectionately as 'John D,' he was remembered as a kind and friendly
person who loved to talk and laugh. His willingness to help others was exemplified by a previous heroic act in Bedford-Stuyvesant where he saved a shooting victim's life by applying pressure to the wound. Morant, who had worked in construction and as a long-distance truck driver, had found his passion as a barber, working in his brother's shop in Brooklyn.
In the wake of the shooting, the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into the homicide. Their efforts led to the arrest of three men in connection with the fatal shooting. The specifics of their identities and the charges they faced were part of the ongoing investigation into the violent act that ended a life remembered for its warmth and bravery.
