On April 27, 2018, at about 1:17 a.m., 15-year-old Payton Robert Antonio Velarde was fatally shot at the intersection of Belvedere and Sedgefield drives in Hanahan, South Carolina. A White male described as friendly and living in nearby Goose Creek, Payton was identifiable by a forearm tattoo of three roses. The Berkeley County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide due to a gunshot wound.

Payton’s family and community continue to mourn; authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. If anyone knew Payton or has information about what happened that night, please share what you know with investigators.