GAFFNEY, S.C. – Three suspects are in custody, including two charged as adults with murder, following the fatal shooting of a high school student at a school bus stop, authorities announced.
The shooting occurred near the 500 block of West Rutledge Avenue on Wednesday, August 12, claiming the life of Jomiltron Sentell Fair Jr., a 17-year-old senior at Gaffney High School.
The Gaffney Police Department arrested an 18-year-old suspect in Cherokee County. The individual faces charges of murder and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime and was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center ahead of a scheduled bond hearing.
Earlier, police charged a 17-year-old with murder and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime. The suspect was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center and denied bond.
A third suspect, a 16-year-old juvenile, was located in Spartanburg County and transported to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice on a petition related to the shooting. Authorities declined to release additional information about the juvenile due to state privacy laws.
The multi-agency investigation involved local, state, and federal entities, including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“As this investigation continues, I think it’s important to recognize that countless men and women are working together tirelessly to find answers and help keep Gaffney safe,” Gaffney Police Chief Gerald Knight said in a statement. “This senseless act of violence does not reflect the values of our city.”
Authorities urged anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact the Gaffney Police Department at 864-489-8115.
