‘It guts you’: Community, schools grieve after deadly Sumter mass shooting

The color-splashed island in the middle of the yard stands in stark contrast to the sorrowed, troubled hearts that have been burdened across Sumter this week.

The makeshift memorial in front of the home on Whitetail Circle on Thursday afternoon was piled high with colorful floral bouquets and stuffed animals — pastel bunnies and red-eared teddy bears and an orange Tow Mater from “Cars” — and other tokens of remembrance.

The display was a seeming tribute to those who were loved, and a heart-wrenching reminder of young life taken far too soon.

The home on Whitetail was the scene Tuesday night of a shocking murder-suicide, according to investigators, one that claimed five lives, including three young children and one man, as well as the gunman.

Among the deceased were brothers Aayden Holliday-Slacks, 5, and Aason Holliday-Slacks, 6, and their 11-year-old half-sister, Ava Holliday. Also killed was 38-year-old Sumter resident Carlos Evans, a command sergeant major in the U.S. Army and an Iraq war veteran. Evans was visiting the home at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, investigators say Charles Slacks Jr. — father to Aayden and Aason and a stepfather to Ava — committed suicide at the scene Tuesday night.

Slacks entered the Whitetail Circle home with a key and proceeded to the back of the house, where he fired several shots at Evans, Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said. Slacks proceeded upstairs, where the children were sleeping, Roark said. The children’s mother, Army Sgt. Major Aletha Holliday, who was recently divorced from Slacks, said she heard shots fired before she saw Slacks put the gun to his head and kill himself, according to Roark.

Aayden and Aason Hoilliday-Slacks were students at Millwood Elementary School in Sumter, less than a couple miles from their home in the Woodridge neighborhood. Meanwhile, Ava Holliday was a sixth-grader at Alice Drive Middle School.

On Wednesday morning, Alice Drive Middle Assistant Principal Gequana Thomas told The State that staff and students at the school were stunned when they heard of the incident.

Thomas said Ava Holliday was a well-behaved student and that she never had to address any disciplinary issues with her. Ava’s classmates regarded her as kind and generous, Thomas said, particularly when it came to candy. In fact, Thomas said some friends at school called Ava the “Candy Girl” because of her willingness to share treats.

“She would bring candy to school and share it with the other students,” Thomas said.

The Alice Drive assistant principal said the Sumter School District had a crisis response team available at the school for any students or staff who needed to connect in the aftermath of the tragedy. Thomas said at least one teacher went home early Wednesday because they were so crestfallen with grief.

The State left messages Thursday for Millwood Elementary Principal Jessica Wright.

The Woodridge neighborhood in Sumter was quiet around midday Thursday, with rows of light-colored, two-story homes lined up like in so many suburban subdivisions. Some neighbors near the Whitetail Circle home where the incident occurred had taped signs to their front doors, asking the media to stay away. A family member in the yard at the Holliday home declined comment.

However, early Thursday afternoon Aletha Holliday posted a message on Facebook, thanking those who have reached out in the days since the shooting.

“From our family…thank you for your prayers, condolences, and expressions of love,” said the mother’s post, which included more than 30 photos of her and the children. “We just want to share beautiful pictures with you of Ava, Aason, and Aayden. We love them and will keep them alive in our hearts and minds. Please continue to pray for us.”

Aletha Holliday is a 24-year veteran of the Army and is currently a culinary management sergeant major, per her LinkedIn page. She also has a catering company called Chocolate Brown Sugar, which offers cakes and many other treats.

The killings sent shockwaves across the Sumter community in recent days.

Dr. Beth Poag is a pediatric dentist in Sumter who has spent decades working with young people there. She said many people in the town were devastated when they learned of the tragedy.

“It was hard to work (Wednesday),” Poag said. “It was hard to function when we found this out. I haven’t met a single person or spoken to a single person who wasn’t grieving. When you work with children every day, and you are dedicated to children’s happiness and health and overall stability, and something like this happens — which has never really happened in our community before — it guts you.”