Two Rock Hill Men In Jail With Seven Attempted Murder Charges

Rock Hill – James Witherspoon is shaken up after a shooting on his street this weekend left plenty of damage in and around his home.

“This one actually went completely through the garage and hit my motorcycle,” he said. “When I talked to the neighbors and they told me to make sure nobody was home. Thank God nobody was here.”

On Saturday, just after 11:30pm, officers responded to the area of Fairway Circle and Brunswick Drive after a call of gunshots being heard.

When officers responded to the vicinity of the shooting, they reported a burgundy Honda Accord in front of the Thurch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Inside was a 25 year old victim with a gunshot wound to the head, still clinging to life.

Turns out, three people from that car were already at the hospital with gunshot wounds.

Rock Hill Public Information Officer Lt. Michael Chavis spoke with WCCB’s Emma Mondo about that night.

“Our victims were at the social gathering,” he said. “As they were leaving in their cars, there were two suspects at a residence that saw the vehicles earlier.”

The suspects thought those leaving in the car were people they were involved in a verbal altercation with a few weeks ago.

“As they tried to leave,” Chavis said, “they opened fire on our victims striking several of them and putting them in the hospital, one is still in critical condition.”

Officers started to canvas the area, where they were able to determine which house the bullets came from, and arrested 20 year old Jaryin Hemphill and 20 year old Jakai Johnson.

Officers were still canvassing the neighborhood earlier Tuesday to look for more evidence.

“They actually pulled one of the bullets out of the wall that left a lot of debris on the living room floor,” said Witherspoon.

Chavis says this type of violence is  not just in Rock Hill, but a trend nationwide.

“People think that it’s better to use violence, especially gun violence, to solve conflict and issues,” said Chavis. “It’s quite disturbing to think that anyone would think that that’s the way to go about handling anything.”

Chavis tells WCCB they believe that more than one car was apart of the caravan leaving the neighborhood.

Three other people were in those cars that were leaving, but we’re not injured.

Both Hemphill and Johnson were denied bond and remain in the York County jail on seven counts of attempted murder and one count of possession on a weapon during a violent crime.