Anthony Sincino

Case identification

Anthony Sincino

STATUS / Outcome

Anthony Sincino committed suicide by shooting himself the same day as the October 12, 1995 Blackville-Hilda High School shooting. He fatally shot one teacher and wounded another teacher before he died.

The offence

Anthony Sincino was a 16-year-old student at Blackville-Hilda High School in Blackville, South Carolina, United States. He was suspended from school at the time of the shooting.

On October 12, 1995, Sincino walked through a back door at Blackville-Hilda High School and entered a third classroom where he shot math teacher Johnny Thompson, 38, in the face. He then continued down the hall, where he confronted another math teacher, Phyllis Senn, 56, who was later found dead in a teachers' work room.

A second teacher died; authorities were unsure whether she was shot or suffered a heart attack. In later narrative describing the shootings, Phyllis Senn saw the gun, tried to duck back into a workroom, and was shot in the back; she staggered into the workroom and collapsed.

After being unable to open a locked door, he continued a few steps more and shot himself in the head.

Investigation

Lead investigators said that it was likely no one would ever know exactly why he did what he did. Investigators indicated that the only person who knew the intent of that day was Toby, and they said he made a decision at the end to take his own life, so the questions would never have answers.

A coroner returned to Blackville Middle School and Blackville-Hilda High after the shootings to talk with students and answer their questions “as best he can,” while not providing answers to how the incident could have happened in full.

Toxicology reports and drug screens from an autopsy showed that Toby Sincino had not been using illegal drugs or drinking when he went on his rampage through the high school. An autopsy was planned to determine how Phyllis Senn died.

Arrest / Custody

Anthony Sincino had been expelled last school year but was back on probationary status. He was suspended again on Wednesday after making an obscene gesture on a school bus and faced another expulsion. On Thursday, he walked through a back door at Blackville-Hilda High School armed with a .32-caliber revolver.

Sincino's criminal history included pointing a gun and simple battery, and sources said he had an upcoming Family Court date on charges of pointing and presenting a firearm as well as simple assault. Sources said he had been sentenced to probation on prior Family Court charges of shoplifting and simple assault.

Background

Sincino was from Blackville, South Carolina.

Accounts from family and friends described him as troubled but quiet and shy, with some friends calling him “Peanut.” He sometimes was picked on by other students in a rural town of 3,000 people about 45 miles south of Columbia.

Sincino had a brighter side according to multiple friends, and one friend said he kept his feelings inside, saying he was very sweet and shy. Another classmate said Sincino hinted he would not be alive much longer. Sincino hinted the day before the shooting that he might not be alive much longer. Asked if he was going to a Thursday night party, he answered “No,” saying he was going to heaven.

School Superintendent Richard Huggins recalled good moments, including that Sincino had been carrying boxes into Blackville-Hilda for him just two weeks before the shooting. Huggins also recalled conversations in which Sincino said “Fine, Mr. Huggins” and “Yes, Mr. Huggins.”

Sincino boasted to a friend, Amanda Davis, that he had a gun and told her his heroes were Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson. He also had an academic career that declined steadily since the sixth grade when he slapped a teacher.

Sincino’s aunt, Carolyn McCreary, said he had been undergoing counseling with the Department of Mental Health and was taking medicine for emotional problems. His medication was Zoloft. A University Hospital pharmacist, Marie Jackson, said that Zoloft is frequently prescribed as an antidepressant and that it has fewer side effects than antidepressants popular in the late 1980s such as Elavil and Tofranil. The Physician's Desk Reference warns that the medication may not eliminate the “inherent risk of suicide” that comes with depressed patients.

Psychiatrists said that just before a teen's suicide or suicide attempt, there usually is some sort of traumatic separation and that it could be parents kicking the child out, a breakup with a girlfriend or boyfriend, or severe problems at school. George Holmes, a University of South Carolina psychologist who wrote Helping Teenagers Into Adulthood: A Guide to the Next Generation, was quoted about that general pattern. The narrative also said that in Sincino’s case he had been suspended the day before the shootings and was going to be expelled.

Sincino was shuttled between the homes of estranged parents Randolph “Pete” Sincino and Gerlean McCreary Sincino.

A quoted statement from a Barnwell County Coroner, Lloyd Ward, described that the only person who knows the intent was Toby and that he made a decision at the end to take his own life, leading to there never being answers to those questions.

Since the shooting, Sincino’s mother blamed her youngster's actions on racism in the school system, and school officials flatly denied that charge.

School Superintendent Richard Huggins said he wondered: “Who could have foreseen that a simple suspension would lead to (these) tragic events?” Huggins also said: “Violence with guns plagues our society today.” He added: “Despite all our efforts we can't always prevent the ills of society from invading our schools.”

Timeline

• October 12, 1995 — Anthony Sincino shot math teacher Johnny Thompson in the face, then confronted math teacher Phyllis Senn, who was later found dead; he then shot himself in the head and died.
• October 11, 1995 — Sincino was caught making an obscene gesture on a school bus; he was suspended and would have been expelled since he was already on probation.
• Thursday (day of the shooting) — Sincino walked through a back door at Blackville-Hilda High School armed with a .32-caliber revolver and proceeded through classrooms.

Other details

Sincino was described as having been suspended from school at the time of the shooting.

Sincino’s father, Randolph “Pete” Sincino, said Sincino was a small boy who sometimes was picked on by other students.

A quote attributed to State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Hugh Munn said he later found that Phyllis Senn was later found dead in a teachers' work room and that no wounds were visible on her body, with an autopsy to determine how she died.

Another spokeswoman, Rubenia Hammond, stated that Johnny Thompson was in serious but stable condition.

The narrative included a statement that lead investigators said it was likely no one would ever know exactly why.

Quotes:

“The only person who knows what the intent of that day was is Toby,” Mr. Ward said.
“He made a decision at the end to take his own life, and we'll never have the answers to those questions.”

“Who could have foreseen that a simple suspension would lead to (these) tragic events?”

“Violence with guns plagues our society today,” the superintendent added.
“Despite all our efforts we can't always prevent the ills of society from invading our schools.”

One classmate said Sincino replied:

“No,” saying he was going to heaven.

Chris Tyler, a Blackville-Hilda senior, thought Sincino came back for revenge.

A witness statement from Lynette Johnson, an 11th-grader, included:

“Me and Toby were good friends,” said Lynette Johnson. “He kept his feelings inside. He was very sweet and shy.”

A school superintendent’s recollection included:

“I said How are you doing, Toby, and he said Fine, Mr. Huggins.' I said 'Are you learning,' and he said 'Yes, Mr. Huggins.' ”