In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Clover, South Carolina, a dispute tragically escalated, leaving a young man dead. Keon Antonio Knox, a 19-year-old Black male, was fatally shot outside a residence on Pinckney Street on March 19, 2023. The incident, which occurred around 12:45 a.m., stemmed from an argument that turned into a physical altercation.
Authorities were called to the scene where they found Knox with a gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the location. The Clover Police Department, with the assistance of the York County Sheriff's Office, immediately began a homicide investigation.
Shortly after the shooting, law enforcement identified and apprehended a suspect. Brandon Xavier Mayes, who was 17 at the time, was taken into custody by the Clover Police Department. Mayes was subsequently held at the Moss Justice Center as the investigation continued.
In November 2023, the case against Brandon Xavier Mayes reached its conclusion in York County criminal court. Mayes pleaded guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Keon Knox. As a result of a negotiated plea agreement, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison without the possibility of parole. The firearm used in the shooting was never recovered by law enforcement. Keon Knox was laid to rest on March 29, 2023, at Green Pond United Methodist Church Cemetery.
