In the spring of 2025, a young woman's life was tragically cut short in Charleston, South Carolina. Briana Cason, a 24-year-old female, was fatally shot on the evening of Sunday, April 27th. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. near Johnson Street in the downtown area. Charleston police officers were patrolling the vicinity when they heard the sound of gunfire, leading them to the scene where they discovered Cason with a fatal gunshot wound.
Her death was later ruled a homicide by the Charleston County Coroner's Office.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that the gunfire erupted during an altercation involving several individuals. In the days that followed, the Charleston Police Department made two arrests in connection with the fatal shooting. The first suspect, 39-year-old Tyris Asbury of North Charleston, was taken into custody on April 28, 2025. He was charged with three counts of first-degree assault and battery for his involvement in the incident.
Further investigation led to the arrest of a second suspect, 23-year-old Kenneth Da'Quan Gilliard of Charleston, on May 1, 2025. Initially, Gilliard was also charged with three counts of assault and battery in the first degree. However, the following day, his charges were upgraded to include murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. Both suspects were booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center. The Charleston Police Department has urged anyone with additional information regarding the incident to come forward as the investigation continues.
