6-year-old shot at South Carolina school dies from injuries

Jacob Hall (Photo: Hall Family)

The first-grade boy who was shot in the leg last week when a 14-year-old opened fire on the playground of an Anderson County, South Carolina, elementary school last week has died as a result of his injuries.

Jacob Hall, 6, passed just before 1 p.m. Saturday while surrounded by family and loved ones, multiple media outlets reported. The young boy remained in critical condition after being airlifted to a local children’s hospital immediately after the shooting. Jacob was struck in the leg by a single bullet, which ripped open his femoral artery and caused severe blood loss. In fact, Jacob’s heart stopped twice, but medical personnel was able to revive him both times.

“Jacob was a tremendous fighter but was unable to overcome the catastrophic blood loss and resulting cardiopulmonary arrest caused when the bullet hit his femoral artery,” Dr. Keith Webb, who cared for the boy at Greenville Health System Children’s Hospital, said in a statement following Jacob’s death. “We grieve for the loss of this little boy and pray for his family as they work through this extraordinarily difficult time.”

A statement by the Townville Elementary School, where Jacob attended and the shooting took place, described Jacob as “a delightful child who was full of joy.”

Likewise, Jacob’s family said he would want forgiveness for the person who claimed his life, because that was just the kind of child that he was.

“He showed us how to love, laugh and smile even on days we did not want to,” the boy’s parents, Renae and Rodger Hall, said in a statement, also calling the act which took their son’s life “senseless.”

Authorities have not yet released a possible motive, but the teen responsible for the shooting was charged Friday with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. With Jacob’s death, one of the attempted murder charges is expected to be upgraded to murder.

The other deceased victim was the teen suspect’s father. Two other people were shot – a first-grade teacher and another 6-year-old student – but both survived.