Boy, 6, dies days after South Carolina school shooting

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jacob Hall, the 6-year-old boy who was critically wounded in a school shooting and fighting to stay alive, has died, just days after a 14-year-old boy opened fire on a school playground, authorities said.

In a public Facebook post, Jacob's brother Gerald Gambrell, said, "God took his strongest soldier."

"Jacob will be with us forever and always in our hearts. I
love you little brother and I can't wait till the day we meet again. Your my hero buddy. I love you so much watch over your family son."

Jacob Hall was struck by a bullet in a main artery in his leg, causing him a major brain injury due to the loss of blood. Jacob died about 1 p.m. Saturday, and an autopsy will be done Sunday, Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore said. The hospital will release more details about his death, the coroner said.

Authorities say Jacob, another student and a first-grade teacher at Townville Elementary were wounded by the teenager, who had just killed his father at their home. After the slaying, the teen — who is not old enough to have a driver's license — drove a pickup truck about 3 miles down a country road, crashed at the school and started firing with a handgun, authorities said.

The wounded were struck as a door opened for recess. Another teacher who heard the first gunshot was able to get other students safely inside, Anderson 4 Superintendent Joanne Avery has said.

The teacher and the other wounded student were treated and released from a hospital.

Jacob has been surrounded by his family at Greenville Memorial Hospital since he was wounded. He has seven brothers and sisters, relatives have said.

"Jacob was going to do great things, and because of a senseless crime that nobody will probably ever really know why, that little life is cut short," his great-aunt Rebecca Hunnicutt told WYFF before his death. "Jacob is one of these kids that you'd swear was carved out of cream cheese. He is as beautiful on the inside as he is on the out."

Authorities have not released a motive for either shooting.

The teenager was charged as a juvenile Friday with murder and three counts of attempted murder. The Associated Press typically does not identify juveniles charged with crimes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.