‘Guns and violence are not the answer.’ Why a Rock Hill teen is now headed to prison.
A Rock Hill teen, who was 16 years old when he fatally shot two men, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 50 years in a South Carolina prison.
Sam Saadiq Robinson, now 18, pleaded guilty Tuesday in York County court to the 2019 deaths of Zuinquarius McCrorey, 20, and Malik McCullough, 23.
Robinson faced a maximum of 50 years in prison under a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to two murder charges and five weapons charges, which included a drive-by shooting at one of the victim’s homes the day before the killings, court records show.
Robinson shot both victims in the back of the head as the three traveled on Chestnut Street in Rock Hill on Feb. 19, 2019, said Willy Thompson, 16th Circuit Deputy Solicitor. The victims were friends of Robinson, but Robinson committed the crime to gain status among Crips gang members, Thompson said in court.
Visiting S.C. Circuit Court Judge Brian Gibbons sentenced Robinson to the maximum of 50 years.
“What you did was senseless,” Gibbons said in court.
Suspect speaks
Robinson’s lawyer, Geoff Dunn, asked in court for a sentence less than 50 years.
“A mind of a 16-year-old is not developed,” Dunn said.
Dunn said Robinson was worried the two victims would find out Robinson was responsible for the drive-by shooting the night before.
“He (Robinson) felt he needed to take action,” Dunn said in court.
During court proceedings, Robinson apologized for the killings.
“I’m not going to tell a sob story,” Robinson said. “I want to let the victims’ families know I am sorry for what I did...I just want to apologize to everybody.”
Gang affiliation
Robinson had bragged about having a gun, and his gang connections, from before the shooting through just a week ago, prosecutor Thompson said. In an e-mail read in court Tuesday, Robinson said from jail March 12, 2021: “I’m a Crip...I got total respect.”
Rock Hill Police Department Detective Brooks Felmet said Robinson shot both victims then bragged about it, then taunted victims’ families on social media before he was caught.
“He executed those two men,” Felmet.
Robinson planned and carried out the killings, then leaped from the moving car and tried to confuse police by pretending to assist bystanders after the car crashed, testimony showed. A witness saw Robinson flee and pointed Robinson out to police, testimony showed.
Robinson was questioned at the scene, but no arrest was made.
Prosecutor Kevin Brackett praised the witnesses who helped police find Robinson, including the one who stayed at the crime scene and pointed out Robinson.
“I personally thank the citizen witness who came forward,” Brackett said. “We can’t protect these communities without the help of people who want us to make the community as safe as it possibly can be.”
Families of victims demand justice, end to killings
Robinson was arrested in Charlotte days after the shootings and has been jailed without bail since.
Darryl McCullough, father of one victim, said in court he forgave Robinson, but Robinson should serve the maximum prison sentence.
“People need to know that you just can’t do this,” Darryl McCullough said.
McCullough and Robert McCrorey, father of the second victim, said in court that young Black men killing other Black men is not acceptable and only a maximum sentence would be justice.
“We need to send a message that guns and violence are not the answer,” Robert McCrorey said.
