In the spring of 2014, the life of 22-year-old Daniel Kareem Patterson was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire in North Charleston, South Carolina. On the evening of April 2nd, Patterson was driving his car near the intersection of Bream Road and Remount Road when another vehicle pulled alongside him. Inside were at least two individuals who opened fire, striking Patterson multiple times before speeding away into the night.
The young man's vehicle, riddled with bullets, crashed into a nearby ditch. When emergency responders arrived, they found Patterson gravely wounded. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, leaving a community to grapple with the senseless violence that had claimed one of its own.
The investigation into the shooting painted a grim picture of a planned and ruthless attack. Detectives determined that the perpetrators had followed Patterson with the intent to do him harm. For two years, the case remained a priority for the North Charleston Police Department, as investigators diligently worked to bring those responsible to justice. Their persistence paid off in 2016 with the arrests of two men: Deondray Alston and Kenneth-Gerard Lincoln. Both were charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, bringing a glimmer of hope to a family that had long awaited answers.
The legal proceedings that followed would stretch on for another two years, finally culminating in a measure of closure in 2018. In a Charleston County courtroom, Deondray Alston and Kenneth-Gerard Lincoln were held accountable for their roles in the death of Daniel Patterson. Alston, identified as the instigator and one of the shooters, was sentenced to 45 years in prison. His accomplice, Lincoln, who was also armed and involved in the fatal ambush, received a 30-year prison sentence. The sentencing marked the end of a long and painful chapter for the family of Daniel Patterson, ensuring that the men who senselessly ended his life would face the consequences of their violent actions.
