Pizza man fires on attackers, kills one

Pizza man fires on attackers, kills one

Sheriff says shooting of Irmo High student was self-defense

By JOHN MONK - [email protected]

Updated 8:26 p.m.
An Irmo pizza delivery man ambushed by a group of young men shot and killed one of his assailants, an Irmo High School senior, late Saturday, causing the others to flee, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said this afternoon.

Alleged robber Paul Andrew Sturgill Jr., 17, of Kenna Drive near Irmo, was pronounced dead of at least one gunshot wound later at Palmetto Health Richland Hospital, Sheriff James Metts said. An autopsy will be performed Monday.

Relatives and neighbors expressed shock over the death of Sturgill, whom they said had been an honor student and musician. His family said he planned to join the Army, with a goal of becoming an airborne ranger, after graduating from Irmo High School this year.

The family showed photos of a tall, slender, clean-cut young man.

The pizza delivery man, Christopher Steven Miller, 43, had a concealed weapons permit and was trying to retreat from the suspects while being beaten by one attacker, Metts said.

At this point, Metts said, it appears that Miller acted within the law and will not face any charges. However, police have made no final decisions and will discuss the incident with prosecutors, he said.

One of the suspected robbers, Justin Towan Roundtree, 18, of Emery Lane near Irmo, was at large Sunday afternoon and charged with robbery and criminal conspiracy. Roundtree is suspected of having a connection to a gang, Metts said. Metts did not have details.

The dead youth, Sturgill, supposedly had a good reputation and people whom detectives are interviewing are surprised that he might have been involved in a robbery, Metts said.

Metts said the incident happened about 10:30 p.m. on Avery Place Lane near Irmo, near Irmo High School off St. Andrews Road. An order had been called in to Pizza Hut on Irmo Drive for two large, thin-crust pizzas with extra cheese for delivery to a house on Avery Lane. However, when Miller showed up with the pizzas, he was met by a young man outside the house to whom he was delivering the pizza, Miller told detectives.

In fact, Metts said, the suspects had called the order in on a cell phone. The people who lived in the house had no knowledge of the pizza request, Metts said.

Miller gave this version of events to police, Metts said: When Miller exited his car, the young man began to beat him. Miller saw two other men come out of a nearby woods and began running away. As he ran, he drew a .45 caliber Taurus handgun from a fanny pack. As the man continued to beat him, Miller fired, hitting him in the upper torso. The shots caused the two other men to run off.

Also in custody Sunday afternoon were: Jason Todd Beckham, 18, of Emory Lane, and Carlos Renard Dates, 20, of Nursery Hill Road near Irmo. Both are charged with robbery and criminal conspiracy.

The pizzas were worth $25.13.

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