ROCK HILL, S.C. — A 39-year-old man was killed in an early Thursday morning shooting in Rock Hill after confronting a suspect he saw inside his vehicle, police said.
The incident occurred at 4:40 a.m. in the 1100 block of Amelia Avenue.
Authorities said the victim pursued the suspect after spotting them in his vehicle, leading to gunshots being fired. Responding officers located the victim in the yard of a home on Amelia Avenue, where he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Channel 9 Crime Reporter Hunter Sáenz spoke to the victim’s family, and they said they’re still stunned.
Byron McClure said he’s left with so many heartbreaking questions after the death of his 39-year-old son, Le’Byron Cathcart.
“It’s hard on me, that was my son, my first son, named after me,” McClure said.
Le’Byron’s mother, Cassandra Massey, said it’s hard to process it all right now. She said Cathcart’s cousin heard the five gunshots from down the street, and she called police. When officers got there, they found Le’Byron dead behind a house across the street.
Officers spent much of the day trying to track down Le’Byron’s killer. They canvassed the area with K-9 units and lifted fingerprints that were still seen on the victim’s car in the driveway.
Meanwhile, Le’Byron’s family is trying to hold on to the memories. He was a father of three, with one more child on the way. Loved ones said he was a hard worker who cared deeply about his family.
“He was crazy about his kids,” Massey said.
“He was a family man. All of his nieces and nephews were crazy about him,” McClure said.
For Massey, this is the second son that she has lost to gun violence.
The Rock Hill Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office are involved in the investigation.
The suspect in the fatal shooting remains at large as the investigation continues.