On the late afternoon of Friday, May 5, 2023, 32-year-old Richard Crank Jr. was shot and killed at a residence on Faires Road, off McConnells Highway southwest of Rock Hill, South Carolina. Crank, a 2009 graduate of Northwestern High School who had wrestled and played football, was described as unarmed when an altercation at the house preceded the shooting.

Stephen Josiah Brooks, 34, of Rock Hill, was at the residence reportedly to get his hair braided. An argument between Brooks and Crank ended when Brooks shot Crank multiple times. After the shooting Brooks reportedly photographed the scene, covered Crank’s body with blankets, and allegedly took phones from others at the home while still armed. York County Sheriff’s Office investigators closed Faires Road during their inquiry and took Brooks into custody as a person of interest; he was later charged with murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and three counts of kidnapping for the alleged taking of phones. Brooks has claimed self-defense.

If anyone witnessed the incident on Faires Road or knew Crank or Brooks, please share what might help clarify what happened that afternoon.