On the night of July 5, 2024, in Charleston, South Carolina, a shooting at the Bridgeview Apartments resulted in the death of 44-year-old Brian Fokes. The incident, which also left two other individuals wounded, occurred at approximately 11 p.m. when an officer on patrol heard multiple gunshots. Fokes was pronounced deceased at the scene, while the other two victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment and were subsequently released.
The Charleston Police Department's
investigation into the homicide led them to identify Ryan D'Lorenzo Lewis, a 30-year-old from Charleston, as the suspect. Lewis was apprehended in Decatur, Georgia, on August 1, 2024, by the Atlanta Area US Marshals. He faces a series of charges, including murder, two counts of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, first-degree assault and battery, and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime. At the time of the incident, Lewis was under the supervision of SC Probation, Pardon, and Parole for a prior armed robbery conviction, having been released from the SC Department of Corrections on May 1, 2024.
Brian Fokes was a beloved figure in his community, known for his work as a cook at Junction Kitchen. He was a father to four children and was remembered by friends and family as a loving person who was actively trying to educate people about the dangers of gun violence. In the wake of his death, his colleagues at Junction Kitchen organized a fundraiser to support his family with funeral costs and to establish an educational fund for his youngest children.
