In the late afternoon of Monday, September 9, 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace at the Alight Apartments on Alexander Road in Cayce, South Carolina. When the chaos subsided, 22-year-old Jalen Latrell Allen, a male resident of nearby Columbia, was found inside a vehicle, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. Emergency services rushed him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal.
The incident prompted a swift and heavy police response.
The Cayce Police Department, assisted by K-9 units and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's CSI unit, cordoned off the apartment complex, searching for the shooter and evidence. For a time, residents were required to show identification to enter the premises. Investigators have stated they believe the shooting was an isolated event and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
Jalen, known affectionately to his loved ones as “JJ.2x,” was an entrepreneur and a rap artist. He was a former student of Columbia High School and was described as being very artistic. His family remembers him as a loving father to his two young sons.
As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide, and authorities have not released any information about a potential suspect or suspects or a motive for the shooting. The investigation is ongoing, and police have urged anyone with information to come forward. An autopsy was scheduled to be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston to officially determine the cause of death.
