In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Piedmont, South Carolina, the life of 22-year-old Derrick Shaquan Higgins was tragically cut short. On March 23, 2025, deputies responded to a call about a shooting at a hookah lounge on Augusta Road around 3:18 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Higgins with at least one gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, but succumbed to his injuries later that day.
Higgins, a 2021 graduate of Lamar High School, had continued his education at Augusta Prep and South Carolina State University, with a passion for football being a significant part of his life.
The investigation into the shooting suggested that Higgins was an innocent bystander, not the intended target of the violence that unfolded. Authorities believe the incident began with an altercation between a suspect and another individual. During this dispute, shots were fired, and Higgins was struck. The senseless act of violence left a community in mourning for a young man described by his loved ones as the life of family functions and a friend to everyone he met.
In the days that followed, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office made progress in the case, leading to the arrest of three individuals. Kahan Brewster was identified as the alleged shooter and charged with murder and a weapons offense. Investigators also determined that after the shooting, Brewster allegedly committed a burglary at an apartment complex in an attempt to evade capture, resulting in additional charges. Two other individuals, Taylor Williams and Mauriceia Petty, were also taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Following their arrests, Williams was released on bond, while Brewster was held without bond.
