COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Monday, 39-year-old Graham Pope was shot and killed while working at the JTs Kia dealership on Greystone Boulevard, according to Columbia Police.
Officers tell us they got a call about a shooting a little after 3 p.m. Police say they arrived at the scene four minutes later and found Pope seated in a vehicle.
Police tell us he had been shot several times, and he ultimately died. Now, his family is trying to honor him by sharing his memory.
"We were so much closer than any other siblings I know," Brook Propst said, tearing up as she remembered her older brother. "It's a weird sense of, like, pride that I think both of us had, all three of us have for being…like, getting to say Graham's my big brother.
When she got the call on Monday that her brother had been shot, Propst says her family found comfort in knowing how strong his faith was.
"We knew where he was going. So it was okay. But just… we're praying for peace on our end after that," Propst shared.
According to Propst, Pope's grandparents, founding members of Columbia Evangelical Church, fostered his faith.
"Our grandparents were missionaries. And so they were always just, especially for Graham, the biggest influence of faith and grace and love, unconditional love," Propst smiled. "I think that's where he got it. He was the most unconditional friend and brother anybody would ever meet. Everybody's best friend."
The top trait Propst says she remembers about her brother's character is his selflessness.
"He was the most unconditional friend and brother anybody would ever meet. Everybody's best friend," Propst said. "I don't think he ever wanted anything for himself. Like every goal he had was to help other people. He was brilliant. Like, the smartest guy in any room. He was hilarious. He was so funny. And just so kind."
Pope grew up in Columbia, where he attended Spring Valley High School. He moved to Chicago for a few years before returning to the area.
"He decided he wanted to be an uncle and brother and son for a while. He wanted to focus on that," Propst said of his desire to spend more time with his niece and nephew. "He was the best uncle. He and I have always said that we're not, like, kid people. But seeing him with Annabelle and Thomas, he was just the best. He was planning on coaching Thomas's baseball."
Propst said her brother loved sports, specifically the Cubs. She said he was also a fan of music, particularly the band Phish. She said that even more important to him were his friends.
"When Graham moved back from Chicago, he wanted to…I think he just wanted to work with his buddies," Propst said about his decision to work at the Kia dealership where his friend Andy worked. "So that's what he did. He got to work with his buddies, and when everything happened, Andy was there; Andy was the one that held him. The last thing he heard was his best friend saying that he loved him."
When it comes to the tragic shooting that took her brother's life, Propst says her family is left without answers.
"I just want to know why. And that's the only thing that, like…the only answer we don't have. We found out that the guy had been caught while we were in the hospital waiting room. So the investigators say they have the who, what, when and where we just don't have a why," Propst said. "The whole family, like, we're okay knowing why God needed him. But we'd really like to know, why Graham? Because he took the one person that holds a lot of people together."
As they grieve, Propst says the community has shown up.
"I can't say enough how thankful we are for Graham's friends," Propst said. "At the hospital, they were all there when we showed up. And I keep telling…my sister and I keep telling them that, like, the second we lost our brother, we gained like six more. And they've known…most of them have known me my whole life, and there just wasn't a second we weren't supported."
Propst says they're still processing the loss right now, with the funeral coming up on Monday. Columbia Police have arrested 28-year-old Westley Gross, who they say killed Pope before leading officers on a chase that resulted in a crash, killing 34-year-old pregnant mother Ashley Brown.
"I wish I could say I can't imagine what they're going through," Propst said. "But I know exactly what they're going through. Our family has, I mean, they've been in our prayers just as much as our family, as much as Graham has. We hope that they get the peace that we're looking for. But, I mean, our heart goes out to them."
Just before 1 p.m. on Friday, News19 contacted Columbia Police. A department spokesperson said they don't have more information about the investigation.