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Jacob Hall
suffered a gunshot wound to the leg last week and died at a
hospital on Saturday after blood loss led to major brain injury.
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with the crime at Townville
Elementary School in Townville, South Carolina. Police said he
crashed a pickup truck through a fence and opened fire.
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"In 30 years of ministry, this is the most difficult thing that
I have ever experienced with a family, a church, a community,"
said Tim Marcengill, associate pastor of Oakdale Baptist Church
in Townville, where Hall's service was held, the Independent
Mail reported.
About 1,500 people gathered for Hall's funeral, including South
Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and U.S. Senator Tim Scott, local
media reported.
Many of the adults and children who attended wore Batman or
Superman costumes to honor Hall, who enjoyed pretending to be a
superhero and "imagined himself being the good guy," Reverend
David Blizzard said in his eulogy, NBC-affiliate WYFF News
reported.
Hall's casket was adorned with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
stickers and figurines of Captain America, local media reported.
A teacher and two other students also were injured in the
schoolyard shooting. Police said the teenaged suspect first shot
and killed his father, Jeffrey Osborne, 47, as the man watched
television at their home about two miles (3 km) away.
The shooting suspect has been charged with multiple counts of
murder, attempted murder and possessing a weapon while
committing a violent crime. He has not been publicly identified
by police.
Hall's funeral was held at the same church where the service for
the shooter's father took place on Sunday.
As mourners left the service for the 6-year-old on Wednesday,
some said they hoped for a sense of closure after the violence
rattled the community of about 4,000 people.
“I needed to say goodbye and have some hope for tomorrow,” said
Michele Cahn, 34, whose son attends Townville elementary.
Cahn and her son wore Flash and Batman costumes.
(Writing by Laila Kearney in New York; Editing by Colleen
Jenkins and David Gregorio)
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