In the quiet, early morning hours of Sunday, September 25, 2022, the life of 15-year-old JaShawnna Coleman was tragically cut short in what authorities have described as a senseless act of violence. A female, JaShawnna was visiting relatives at the Foxwood Apartments on Country Club Road in Kershaw, South Carolina. Just before 1 a.m., while she was resting on a couch inside the apartment, a barrage of bullets was fired into the building from a passing car.
Deputies were initially called to the scene for reports of shots fired, but at the time, no injuries were reported, and the only apparent damage was to an air conditioning unit. The devastating reality of the situation would not be discovered until hours later.
Around 7 a.m. that morning, a resident of the apartment found her niece, JaShawnna, unresponsive on the couch, having been struck by a bullet from the earlier drive-by shooting. Emergency services were called, but the young girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators quickly determined that JaShawnna was an innocent victim, caught in the crossfire of a dispute that had nothing to do with her. The shooting is believed to have stemmed from a conflict between rival groups, with one group being the intended target of the other.
The investigation into JaShawnna's death led to the swift arrest of four individuals. Antonyio Gary Johnson, 20, of Camden, was identified as the adult suspect. He was taken into custody along with three male juveniles: one aged 15 and two aged 16. All four suspects face charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. Utilizing surveillance footage from local businesses, witness statements, and other evidence, law enforcement officials were able to track the vehicle involved in the shooting and identify the suspects. The arrests brought a small measure of relief to a community grieving the loss of a young life, though the legal proceedings were just beginning. The three juveniles were taken into the custody of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, with the possibility of being tried as adults being considered by the solicitor's office.
