South Carolina Man Dies After Triggering Booby-Trapped Shotgun in Family Member’s Vacant Home
A tragic incident in Saint Matthews, South Carolina, has resulted in the death of a 34-year-old man after he inadvertently triggered a booby-trapped shotgun while checking on a vacant residence belonging to a family member. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and has announced that charges are forthcoming against the homeowner, who is currently incarcerated in another state.
On Monday evening, deputies responded to a report of a shooting at a residence in Saint Matthews. Upon arrival, they discovered Jordan Dove, of Lugoff, South Carolina, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Emergency Medical Services transported Dove to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Initial investigations revealed that Dove was checking on a vacant residence owned by a family member when the incident occurred. Deputies quickly determined that the firearm discharge originated from inside the residence, leading them to suspect the possibility of booby traps.
Law enforcement established a perimeter around the home and cautiously entered. Inside, they discovered a shotgun rigged to the back door, designed to discharge upon entry. The front door was also found to be barricaded shut. No other occupants were found inside the residence.
Deputies dismantled the booby-trapped shotgun and secured the area, allowing investigators to process the crime scene.
Calhoun County Sheriff Thomas Summers expressed serious concern over the nature of the booby trap, stating that it "appeared to be targeted towards law enforcement." He emphasized the inherent dangers faced by law enforcement officers daily, highlighting the incident as a stark example.
Sheriff Summers identified the homeowner as Alfonzo Brown, who is currently incarcerated in Maryland. Dove was identified as Brown’s nephew. Sheriff Summers told WLTX that Brown likely booby-trapped the property knowing authorities would check the residence, suspecting that he would be tracked back to Calhoun County. Dove, according to Summers, was simply checking the house for potential burglaries or break-ins.
Online court records in Prince Georges County, Maryland, indicate that Brown faces multiple charges, including attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and firearm use. In January, Prince George’s County Police identified Brown as a person of interest in a triple, non-fatal shooting in Clinton, Maryland, where two men and a woman, all family members of Brown, were found shot and hospitalized. Brown was later arrested and is currently being held without bond in Maryland.
The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office investigation is ongoing, but authorities have assured the public that the shooting was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat.
This tragic event underscores the dangers associated with booby traps and the potential for severe consequences when such devices are deployed. It also raises questions about the motivations behind setting such traps, particularly when they appear to be targeted towards law enforcement.
The incident in Saint Matthews is not an isolated case of booby traps being discovered in homes across the United States.
In November of last year, police in Santa Monica, California, arrested a 61-year-old man accused of booby-trapping his garage. Officers responding to a report of shots fired discovered a shotgun shell rigged with a spring-loaded firing pin and wire attached to the garage door, designed to fire the shell when the door was opened. A second similar device was found near a pedestrian gate. The suspect, Arthur Tabuchi, was taken for a mental health evaluation and faces charges related to assembling and maintaining a booby trap.
In December 2023, a man in southern Oregon was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for booby-trapping his former home, resulting in injury to a federal officer. Gregory Lee Rodvelt, 72, rigged his home with multiple booby traps after losing the property in a lawsuit. Bomb technicians from the Oregon State Police and FBI discovered various traps during a property clearing operation in 2018. An FBI bomb technician was injured when he triggered a homemade shotgun device concealed within a wheelchair.
These cases highlight the potential dangers posed by booby traps, which can range from relatively simple devices to elaborate and complex contraptions. The motivations behind setting such traps can vary widely, from attempts to deter burglars to acts of revenge or malice.
The incident in South Carolina serves as a stark reminder of the need for caution and vigilance when encountering potentially dangerous situations, especially in vacant or abandoned properties. It also underscores the importance of thorough investigations to determine the intent and scope of booby traps and to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the public. The legal ramifications for setting such traps are severe, reflecting the significant risk they pose to human life and safety.
