Crime
10-year-old Miyah Harp dies after accidental shooting in Aiken County, mother Amalia Beltran faces meth charges
Investigators clarified that she was not the individual handling the firearm at the time of the accident.
In a tragic incident, 10-year-old Miyah Harp lost her life in an accidental shooting on Monday night, marking the second child shooting in Aiken County within 24 hours.
The shooting occurred around 9:57 p.m. in the 300 block of Wendy Lane in Windsor, as reported by the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency responders pronounced Miyah deceased at the scene at 11:13 p.m., with the cause of death identified as a gunshot wound to the chest.
According to Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables, a preliminary investigation revealed that the shooting occurred when a family member unintentionally discharged a small-caliber rifle.
The family member’s handling of the firearm led to the fatal accident. Miyah’s autopsy is scheduled to take place in Newberry.
During the investigation, authorities discovered a significant quantity of methamphetamine at the residence.
This discovery led to the arrest of Miyah’s mother, 32-year-old Amalia Nicole Beltran, on charges unrelated to the shooting.
Beltran faces allegations of drug trafficking involving 28 to 100 grams of methamphetamine or cocaine base.
Investigators clarified that she was not the individual handling the firearm at the time of the accident.
The incident has left the community grieving, highlighting the devastating consequences of accidental firearm discharges and raising concerns about the additional drug-related activities uncovered during the investigation.
MEMPHIS, TN – A mass shooting in South Memphis on Wednesday afternoon left two people dead and three others critically injured following a violent exchange of gunfire inside a residence near LeMoyne-Owen College.
The shooting occurred at a home on College Park Drive, just yards away from the LeMoyne-Owen College campus and in close proximity to a daycare and tutoring facility.
Emergency responders arrived to find five victims suffering from gunshot wounds. One individual was pronounced dead at the scene, while another succumbed to their injuries at Regional One Health.
One victim has been identified as Leon Parker.
The three remaining victims were transported to local hospitals in critical condition.
The Memphis Police Department (MPD) responded swiftly, with multiple squad cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and crime scene vans lining the street for hours. MPD Chief C.J. Davis and other top officials were present as the investigation unfolded.
Authorities believe the shooting stemmed from an altercation inside the home that escalated into gunfire.
“There was some type of disturbance inside the residence that led to an exchange of gunfire,” said Lt. Louis Brownlee, an MPD spokesperson.
Police have confirmed that all individuals involved in the shooting have been identified, and the violence appears to have been contained within the residence. However, the motive for the shooting remains unclear, and it has not been determined who fired the first shots or whether any of the survivors will face charges.
Shortly after the shooting, LeMoyne-Owen College issued a statement clarifying that the incident did not involve any students, faculty, or staff and occurred off-campus.
“LeMoyne-Owen College remains fully operational following reports of an off-campus incident near 948 College Park Drive. The incident did not involve or impact LeMoyne-Owen College students, faculty, or staff, and there are no lockdowns or alerts in place at this time,” the college’s statement read.
Dr. Dunn-Ross, Chief Operating Officer of LeMoyne-Owen College, emphasized the college’s commitment to safety:
“The safety and well-being of our campus community is always our top priority. We are aware of the situation and in communication with local authorities. At this time, there is no threat to our campus, and operations will continue as normal.”
As of now, MPD has not provided further details on the cause of the altercation or whether any arrests have been made. The investigation remains active, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact law enforcement.