8-year-old shot and killed in South Carolina remembered back home in NH

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — At the Little Harbor Elementary School, Quarius Dunham had a reputation as the fastest runner in the third grade.

On Tuesday, friends, classmates and teachers mourned his death.

The 8-year-old was on a family vacation in Florence, South Carolina when, police say, he was the victim of a random shooting. The accused gunman is 40-year-old Charles Montgomery Allen. The Florence County Sheriff’s Office says Allen was randomly shooting at vehicles that passed along Old River Road, near his home.

Allen was arraigned Tuesday on Murder and Attempted Murder charges, as well as charges of weapon possession and firing into an occupied vehicle. Authorities are holding Allen at the Florence County Detention Center without bond.

Injured in the shooting: Quarius’s father, who was hit in the leg. He is expected to be released from the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“I’ve heard that it was a very somber day at the elementary school,” said Portsmouth Mayor Deaglan McEachern. “The entire city of Portsmouth is grieving with the family at this moment. We’ll be here for whatever they may need as time goes on.”

McEachern, a father to young children, talked to Boston 25 while getting ready to return to New Hampshire from a family vacation.

“Processing this is a difficult task for any age group,” McEachern said.

But perhaps most especially for the boy’s classmates – whose awareness of gun violence was likely heightened by the recent elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

“They’re worried about safety,” said Laura Stoll, whose son knew Quarius. “My son is so scared and just wonders where’s next?”

Stoll faced the difficult task of letting her son know his friend was gone.

“It’s just really heartbreaking and it’s terrible to have to tell your child,” she said. “There’s no good way to have to tell this news to your children.”

Despite his fears, Stoll’s son went to school today.

“He said, I’m going to feel sad whether I’m at home or at school,” she said.

“The impact on the kids in this school is going to be tremendous,” said retired criminologist Alan Lincoln, who lives across the street from Little Harbor School. “People are so entrenched about their right to own as many guns as they need – they think they need – I don’t know how this ever ends.”

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group