Aster Circle shooting victim identified; suspect is charged with murder

The man who died in a shooting at an Arthurtown home Friday afternoon is Bequan Antonio Recasner, Richland County Coroner Gary Watts announced Saturday.

Joseph L. Jones, 39, has been charged with murder in connection with 23-year-old Recasner’s death, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.

Two other people also were injured in the shootout that happened in the 100 block of Aster Circle, just off Bluff Road, around 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Racasner died of multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body, Watts said. The other two victims suffered injuries that are not life-threatening, Sheriff’s Department spokesman Lt. Curtis Wilson said.

The shootout happened after an argument between acquaintances that escalated, deputies say.

Recasner was found unresponsive inside the home, deputies say. But shell casings littered in the street in front of the home indicate some of the gunfire happened outside the home as well.

“We do believe that there were multiple guns involved,” Wilson said.

Wilson said late Friday that investigators believe they have those who were involved in the shooting in custody, but they are still searching for witnesses as the investigation continues.

Recasner’s sister, 19-year-old Jasmine Recasner, said she rushed to the house where the shooting took place and found her brother on the floor and a friend attempting to help him. Shortly thereafter, investigators restricted access to the home.

“They said I couldn’t see him right now,” Recasner said Friday afternoon.

Recasner’s father, who declined to be identified, paced back and forth in the carport of a home one block away on Aster Street. He expressed frustration with the limited information that was being released by investigators on the condition of his son.

“They won’t let me go in and see my child,” Recasner’s father said. “They killed my baby. That’s my baby boy.”

Viera Anderson, who has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years, said she rushed home from the mall, where she had been Christmas gift shopping, after her 17-year-old daughter called to tell her shots were being fired near their home.

Anderson said she worried her 15-year-old son could have been caught in the crossfire, since he routinely hangs around outside their home.

“There are always kids around here,” Anderson said. “Kids are in and out of their houses.”

Anderson said everyone knows each other in the neighborhood and that it was unusual for such an incident to take place. She said she knew everyone involved in the shooting. She said she was surprised, because they all grew up with each other.

“They would always speak with each other,” Anderson said. “They never had any beef.”

This story was originally published December 24, 2016 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Aster Circle shooting victim identified; suspect is charged with murder."