In the early morning hours of Sunday, September 15, 2024, the life of 17-year-old Kashaan Damon Sims of Columbia, South Carolina, was tragically cut short. An eruption of gunfire in the 900 block of Center Street in West Columbia, at approximately 3:40 a.m., resulted in his death. Responding officers found the young man, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident also claimed the life of 29-year-old Alvin Davonte McDaniel Jr. of Winnsboro, who was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A third individual was wounded in the shooting but was later treated at a hospital and released.
Kashaan, known affectionately as “KZUP” to his loved ones, was born on March 7, 2007. He was a new father to a son, Kashaan Damon Sims, Jr., who was born just weeks before the fatal shooting. Family members described him as a happy kid who was excited about his new role as a father. He was actively working to build a future for his family and was employed at a local fast-food restaurant while being only weeks away from completing his GED.
The West Columbia Police Department, along with the Lexington County Coroner's Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Crime Scene Investigation Unit, are actively investigating the double homicide. Law enforcement has characterized the shooting as an isolated incident and has assured the public that there is no ongoing threat to the community. As of now, authorities have not released information regarding a possible motive for the shooting, and no arrests have been made. The investigation remains ongoing as police appeal to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and capture of any suspect or suspects involved in the deaths of Kashaan Damon Sims and Alvin Davonte McDaniel Jr.
