Elijah Michael Smith was 17 and a senior at Hillcrest High School when he was killed in Simpsonville, South Carolina, on the evening of October 24, 2021. Elijah, who loved basketball and was described as bringing joy to family and friends, was in the parking lot of the Tipsy Taco on Fairview Road when an altercation nearby escalated and a gunshot rang out. An innocent bystander, he was struck, taken to a hospital, and later died of his injuries.

Simpsonville Police investigated and arrested 19-year-old Sagin Riley Willasch. Police say the shooting happened during an attempted robbery and that Elijah was not the intended target; Willasch faced charges including murder, attempted armed robbery, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The community held a prayer vigil at the high school as friends and classmates mourned.

Does anyone who knew Elijah or who was in that area that night have information that could still help explain what happened?