Man loads shotgun and kills his brother during dispute over tractor sale, SC cops say
An argument over a tractor sale between two brothers turned deadly when one pulled a shotgun from his vehicle on the other and fired, South Carolina deputies say.
The fatal dispute in St. George led deputies to charge Brian Crawford with murder in the shooting death of his 46-year-old brother, Gregory Crawford, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, according to an Oct. 27 Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office news release.
The death occurred at Brian Crawford’s home, according to a Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office affidavit.
The events on Oct. 26 started with a quarrel “over a tractor that was being sold” at the St. George residence between the brothers, according to the affidavit. Brian Crawford was selling the tractor, a sheriff’s office spokesperson told McClatchy News in an email.
The fight escalated when Brian Crawford went to his car and pulled out a shotgun, according to witness statements in the affidavit.
The 42-year-old raised the shotgun at his brother, the affidavit says, and he pulled the trigger — but the gun did not fire.
He then raced back to his vehicle to grab a shotgun shell, which he loaded into his gun, according to the affidavit. Brian Crawford pulled the trigger again, “shooting the victim in the head,” the affidavit says.
Deputies detained Brian Crawford at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. An investigation into Gregory Crawford’s death is ongoing, deputies said in the release.
St. George is about 50 miles northwest of Charleston.
This story was originally published October 30, 2023 at 12:46 PM.
