Deangelo Markeith Kirk, a 25-year-old Black man, was fatally shot on the afternoon of May 21, 2016, in Lancaster, South Carolina. The incident occurred shortly before 3 p.m. at the Palmetto Place Apartments, where Kirk was found with a serious gunshot wound. He was initially transported to Springs Memorial Hospital and then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The death was ruled a homicide.
In the days following the shooting, the Lancaster Police Department identified 28-year-old Rashad Demon Johnson as the primary suspect in Kirk's murder. Warrants were issued for Johnson's arrest on charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. At the time he was named a suspect, Johnson was reportedly already a convicted felon and was out on bond for several other alleged crimes. Law enforcement described him as armed and dangerous and sought the public's assistance in locating him.
The investigation into Deangelo Kirk's death was particularly tragic for his family, as it marked the second son they had lost to gun violence in a six-month period. Kirk's older brother, Delvelceo Kirk, had been shot and killed the previous November. This series of events highlighted what family members described as rampant gun violence in the Lancaster community.
While initial reports detailed the search for Rashad Johnson, an April 2018 news article regarding a separate case provided an update on his status. The article, which focused on the accidental shooting death of a toddler, mentioned that the child's biological father, Rashad Johnson, was brought to court from prison. It stated that he was serving a 23-year sentence for an unrelated killing in Lancaster. This strongly indicates that Johnson was apprehended and convicted for a homicide that occurred in the same city. Although the available online articles do not explicitly state that this sentence was for the murder of Deangelo Kirk, the timeline and location are consistent with the crime. There is no further information available in online sources regarding the specifics of the trial or conviction.
