In the early hours of May 7, 2026, the life of 24-year-old Anthony C. Thompson of Columbia, South Carolina, was tragically cut short. The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. at a motel located in the 1100 block of Bush River Road. When deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department arrived at the scene, they found members of the Columbia-Richland Fire Department already administering first aid to a man with a gunshot wound.
Despite their efforts, Thompson was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Richland County Coroner's Office later confirmed the identity of the victim as Anthony C. Thompson.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led authorities to a suspect. Investigators identified 55-year-old Kevin Jenkins as the individual responsible for Thompson's death. A search for Jenkins was initiated, and he was located and apprehended around 2:00 p.m. on the same day at a nearby homeless encampment. According to the Richland County Sheriff's Department, Thompson and Jenkins were acquainted with each other and were engaged in a verbal altercation that escalated, culminating in Jenkins allegedly shooting Thompson.
Following his arrest, Kevin Jenkins was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He was subsequently charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. While online sources detail the circumstances of Anthony C. Thompson's death and the swift arrest of a suspect, there is no publicly available information regarding the outcome of the legal proceedings against Kevin Jenkins. Details concerning a trial, potential conviction, or any sentencing that may have occurred have not been reported in the available online sources. The case, therefore, remains concluded at the point of arrest and charging, with the ultimate resolution of the criminal allegations against Jenkins not documented in the public domain.
