In a moment of sudden violence that shattered a Tuesday afternoon, 16-year-old Joshua Edmonds, a male student at Irmo High School, was fatally shot in Columbia, South Carolina. The tragic incident unfolded around 5:30 p.m. on September 23, 2025, in the 200 block of Aster Circle, an area nestled between Shop Road and Bluff Road. At the time of the shooting, Edmonds was in the neighborhood visiting a friend.
Law enforcement was alerted to the scene by a ShotSpotter notification, a system
designed to detect gunfire. Upon their arrival, deputies were directed by bystanders to Edmonds, who was discovered with gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported by EMS to a local hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries. The Richland County Coroner's Office later confirmed his identity. Edmonds was with another teenager at the time of the attack, who fortunately was not injured.
In the immediate aftermath, the Richland County Sheriff's Department launched an investigation that swiftly led them to a suspect. Deputies established a perimeter around the neighborhood and were able to locate and apprehend 17-year-old Paul Henry. According to the ongoing investigation, it is believed that Henry opened fire on Edmonds and the other juvenile while they were walking in the neighborhood. This is being treated as an isolated incident.
Paul Henry has been charged as an adult with murder, attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18. He was taken into custody and is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation. Joshua's mother, Lakeisha Edmonds, has stated that her son was not friends with the suspect and believes he was chased and targeted. The community has been left shaken by the daylight shooting, with neighbors expressing their shock and calling for increased safety measures. In the wake of the tragedy, Lexington-Richland School District 5 has made grief counselors available to students and staff to help them cope with the loss of the young man who had aspirations of becoming a mechanic.
