ROCK HILL — The day after a father-of-five was shot to death during a Rock Hill home invasion, deputies said they were working to identify a second person they say also broke into the house.
Sometime after 1 a.m. Sunday, police said 26-year-old Vincent Alfonzo Bratton, who had just been released from jail Saturday on a more than $30,000 bond for drugs and weapons charges, broke into a home at 1540 Neely Store Road and fatally shot Shannon Jenkins, 31.
Bratton, who turned himself into police around 6 p.m. Sunday, is charged with murder and armed robbery, according to a York County Sheriff’s report.
Officials questioned Bratton but on Monday would not provide details from their discussion with him, nor would they say if Bratton indicated why he targeted Jenkins.
Jenkins, whose criminal past also includes drug arrests — including several charges that were pending at the time of his death — died at the scene, York County Coroner Sabrina Gast said.
Deputies who responded to the home found Channon Forte, Jenkins’ fiancée, standing in the driveway yelling “he has been shot,” according to a York County Sheriff’s report. Bratton and the second suspect were already gone.
When officials went inside, they found Jenkins dead on the dining room floor. It’s unclear if anything was stolen during the home invasion.
Forte, also 31, wasn’t injured, said Trent Faris, Sheriff’s Office spokesman, on Monday. Neither Gast nor police would not say how many times or where Jenkins was shot.
Faris was unable to say how and where Bratton and his accomplice entered the house aside from reiterating, “it was a home invasion.” He also would not comment on where Forte was in the house during the intrusion, or if any of Jenkins’ five children were at the home.
On Sunday morning, a screen door at the side of the house was left open. The front door appeared tilted and three wooden planks were in the front yard.
Through sobs, Forte on Sunday told The Herald that her fiancée took care of his five children and “never bothered anyone.” Jenkins’ father, Karl Jenkins, said that his son — who he described as a “a great son...great father and a great friend,”— knew his alleged killer. He wouldn’t give more details.
Faris confirmed on Monday that Bratton and Jenkins were “acquaintances,” but he was unable to elaborate on their relationship. Karl Jenkins declined to comment when reached Monday evening.
Police reports detailing Bratton’s arrests last week, when he was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a pistol, manufacturing drugs and driving under the influence, weren’t available Monday evening.
