In the autumn of 2025, the life of 18-year-old Black/African American male, Dion Briggs, was tragically cut short in a fatal shooting in Columbia, South Carolina. The incident occurred on the evening of Tuesday, November 11th, in the 1700 block of Nearview Drive. Richland County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to reports of gunfire around 7 p.m. and discovered Briggs unresponsive in front of a residence.
He had sustained a gunshot wound to the upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services.
The investigation into the shooting quickly revealed that the incident was an isolated event stemming from a planned firearm transaction that went horribly wrong. Authorities determined that Briggs was attempting to purchase a handgun from 17-year-old Jordan Lemmon when the deadly encounter unfolded. During the interaction, Lemmon allegedly shot and killed Briggs before fleeing the scene.
In the days following the shooting, the Richland County Sheriff's Department identified two suspects in connection with Briggs' death. The alleged shooter, Jordan Lemmon, was located in Sumter and taken into custody following a traffic stop. Despite his age, Lemmon has been charged as an adult with murder, criminal conspiracy, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a handgun by a person under the age of 18. A second suspect, 21-year-old Semieon Helton-Hill, was later arrested and identified as the driver of the vehicle involved in the shooting. He faces charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. During a search of the residence where Helton-Hill was found, investigators recovered two guns, one of which was reported stolen. Both Lemmon and Helton-Hill are being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center after being denied bond.
