Man says crossbow fired on its own and struck girlfriend in head while he was elsewhere, police say

A South Carolina man is facing a felony charge after authorities reported that he claimed his girlfriend had taken her own life using a crossbow.

Bradley Thompson, 37, was charged with assisting a person in committing suicide in connection with the death of his girlfriend. According to reports from local Fox affiliate WACH and local NBC affiliate WIS, deputies from the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Lugoff, South Carolina, at approximately 7:45 p.m. on October 9, following reports of a suicide. Upon arrival, officers discovered a deceased woman with a crossbow arrow lodged in her head.

Thompson, the victim’s boyfriend, informed police that she had ended her own life.

According to an incident report obtained by WIS, Thompson stated to police that he and his girlfriend had been preparing to go hunting with his crossbow. The couple reportedly engaged in an argument, after which Thompson told police he left the crossbow in the bedroom, loaded with an arrow. He further claimed that he had moved to the living room when he heard the crossbow discharge.

Upon returning to the bedroom to investigate, Thompson claimed to have discovered his girlfriend with a crossbow arrow through her head.

Authorities subsequently launched a formal investigation into the woman’s death, involving both the Kershaw County Coroner’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). As the investigation advanced, law enforcement officials spoke with the victim’s family members, who alleged that Thompson had a documented history of abusing both the woman and her child.

According to publicly available court records, Thompson also faces charges of tattooing a minor under the age of 18 and cruelty to children. Both of these cases were filed on the same date as the charge related to his girlfriend’s death, though it remains unclear whether the cases are connected.

Thompson surrendered to authorities on October 31 and was subsequently booked into the Kershaw County Detention Center. He posted a bond of $47,500 and was released. His next scheduled court date has not been made publicly available.