Norman Higgins

In the late afternoon of April 30, 2025, the promise of a spring evening in Spartanburg, South Carolina, was shattered by gunfire. At approximately 3:20 p.m., police were called to the J.C. Bull Apartments on Marion Avenue, where they discovered 45-year-old Norman Higgins suffering from two gunshot wounds. Witnesses reported that Higgins had been shot in the chest and the leg. Emergency services arrived quickly and transported him to Spartanburg Medical Center, but his injuries proved to be too severe. Roughly an hour after the shooting, Norman Higgins was pronounced dead.

The search for the gunman began immediately. Police identified a suspect, 39-year-old Travis Lee Watkins, who had reportedly fled the scene on foot. The manhunt led to the lockdown of several nearby schools as a precautionary measure, casting a pall of fear over the community. Before long, officers apprehended Watkins and found a firearm in his possession. He was taken into custody and transported to the Spartanburg County Detention Center.

In the days that followed, the legal process began to unfold. Travis Lee Watkins was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. During a hearing, his bond was denied, a decision influenced by a known criminal history. In a significant development, it was revealed that Watkins had confessed to the shooting during a formal interview with investigators. The community, shocked by the violent act, began to mourn the loss of Norman Higgins, who was remembered by friends and family for his joyful presence and big heart.