Police arrest 3rd teen in death of college provost’s husband

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A third teenager has been arrested in the fatal shooting last week of the husband of a provost at the College of Charleston.

The suspect, a 15-year-old, was taken into custody late Thursday, police spokesman Charles Francis said. His name was not released because of his age, Francis said.

Francis said the teenager was charged with murder and attempted armed robbery and is being held at a juvenile detention center pending a hearing before a family court judge, The Post and Courier reported.

The shooting at about 6:15 a.m. last Friday killed Tom DiLorenzo, 63 . He and wife Suzanne Austin, the college’s newly appointed provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, were walking in the downtown area when two robbers approached and demanded money.

DiLorenzo died at an area hospital a short time later. Austin was not physically hurt.

“We continue to grieve with Tom’s family and friends, and for all the victims of violence in our community,” Mayor John Tecklenburg said. “We’re grateful for the rapid arrests in this case, and will continue to work closely with our citizens and community leaders to keep all our neighborhoods safe.”

The other suspects, ages 15 and 16, were arrested later on the day of the shooting, one by Charleston officers and the other by North Charleston police. They each face charges of murder and attempted armed robbery. One of the teens was also charged with possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime, police said.

The Charleston solicitor’s office will decide whether to try the teenagers as adults within 30 days.

Meanwhile, city police said that as of Thursday there is an increased presence of Charleston County sheriff’s deputies and State Law Enforcement Division agents downtown.

“Citizens should expect to see outdoor roll calls being held throughout the city, an increased presence of police equipment deployed for community awareness, pop-up CPD events and traffic checkpoints,” police said.

At the corner of King and Clifford, near where DiLorenzo was gunned down, a small memorial has popped up. Bouquets, though slightly faded from the heat, were piled in front of an antiques store. Above them, someone had placed a small white cross bearing DiLorenzo’s name against a wall.