Timothy Robert Lewis Goins, a 19-year-old male from Fairmont, North Carolina, passed away on June 17, 2019, at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, South Carolina. Timothy was born on August 12, 1999, in Dillon County, South Carolina. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert Goins III and Landon Goins, and his maternal grandparents, Marion and Mildred King.
He is survived by his father, Robert Lewis Goins Jr., his mother, Kristie King Goins, his paternal grandparents, Robert and Betty Goins, his guardians, Wendy Hunt and Larice, his fiancée, Courtney Lockley, five brothers, and four sisters.
Timothy's death was the result of an accidental shooting that occurred on June 16, 2019, at his home on Path Road in Fairmont. The incident involved a younger brother who mistakenly shot Timothy with what he believed to be a BB gun. Timothy was taken to McLeod Regional Medical Center by a family member, where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. The Robeson County Sheriff's Office received a call about the shooting at approximately 1:47 p.m. on June 16, 2019. The case was investigated by the Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division and Juvenile Division.
In connection with Timothy's death, his father, Robert Lewis Goins Jr., was arrested and charged with failure to store a firearm to protect a minor. He was placed under a $5,000 secured bond. The charge stemmed from the fact that the firearm used in the shooting was not properly secured, leading to the tragic accident. Since Timothy's death, his mother, Kristie Goins, has been advocating for firearms safety and holding gun owners accountable for any harm caused by their firearms. She believes that gun owners should be held responsible to the full extent of the law if their firearms cause harm, whether accidental or intentional.
Timothy's mother has been working to add his name to the Stop The Violence organization's list, a nonprofit located in Fairmont that compiles a list of people who have been killed in acts of violence. She hopes that Timothy's life and death will serve as a reminder of the importance of firearm safety and the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
