Teen Charged, Another Wanted in Deadly South Carolina Bus Stop Shooting
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One 17-year-old Gaffney High School student was shot and killed while boarding a school bus on Wednesday morning, prompting an ongoing manhunt for a second suspect according to the Gaffney Police Department. Police arrested one teenager on murder charges early Thursday, while a second teen remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.
The violence erupted at approximately 6:50 a.m. in the 500 block of West Rutledge Avenue in Gaffney, South Carolina. Jomiltron Sentell Fair Jr., a 17-year-old senior who had just returned to classes for the new academic year on Monday, walked from his apartment across the street to board a morning school bus. Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler stated that a male approached Fair, leading to a brief altercation before gunfire rang out.
Fair died at the scene. Surveillance footage captured by cameras on the school bus showed the shooter fleeing to a waiting vehicle driven by another individual immediately after the attack. Fifteen students were sitting inside the bus at the time of the incident, though no other injuries were reported.
Arrest Made and Manhunt Underway for Second Suspect
By Thursday morning, investigators identified and charged 17-year-old Reginald Louis Barnes Jr. with murder and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Barnes was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center, with a bond hearing scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Authorities are actively searching for an 18-year-old suspect, Keveon Ken’Dre Covington. Covington faces identical charges of murder and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Gaffney Police Chief Gerald Knight warned the public not to approach Covington if seen, but to immediately dial 911.
“A young man’s life was cut short. It is incredibly important to report any information you may have on this incident,” Knight said in a news release. “This is a difficult time for our community, and I ask that we pray for Jomiltron’s family.”
Police urged anyone with relevant details to contact local law enforcement at 864-489-8115. Multiple regional and state agencies, including the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the South Carolina State Transport Police, are assisting with the ongoing multi-agency investigation.
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