Rock Hill girl to remain jailed on murder charge in SC shootout where 3 teens died
A 16-year-old Rock Hill girl accused of being the driver in an April shooting that left three teens dead will remain in juvenile detention, a judge ruled Tuesday.
The girl, charged with murder, has been in custody since a few days after the April 25 shootout on Gist Road in York County. She is one of two teens charged with murder in the case.
South Carolina prosecutors are seeking to try the girl as an adult.
She must undergo a S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice evaluation before any decision is made about potentially facing the murder charge as an adult.
The Herald is not naming the girl because of her age. She was 16 when the incident happened but has since turned 17, prosecutors said.
Tuesday was her second appearance in York County Family Court.
Third suspect still uncaught
A third suspect sought by police in the shootout remains uncaught, 16th Circuit assistant solicitor Whitney Payne and Rock Hill Police Department Detective Tayler Tucker said in court Tuesday.
Payne said the safety of the defendant, and others in the community, would be at risk if the girl is released while the third unnamed suspect remains uncaught.
“We believe everybody involved is in danger,” Payne said.
Tucker said the girl charged with murder drove other teens to the shooting knowing in advance they planned violence against others in a different car.
“She knowingly participated in a hit,” Tucker said in court Tuesday.
The girl at first lied to police about involvement then made some statements to police about the shootings, Tucker said in court.
Defense: Girl helped police after she was caught
The girl’s lawyer, Dayne Phillips of Columbia, said in court the girl has given police information that was important in the case, and should be released to the care of her family pending trial.
“Her release would not be a threat to the public,” Phillips said.
Victim’s sister: Senseless gun violence
Kam’ran Brevard, 16, and Evanta Hart, 17, both of Rock Hill, died in the shooting. Omarian Small, 16, of Lake Wylie, also was killed.
The girl is charged in connection with Small’s death.
Small was unarmed at the time he was killed, Payne said.
A sister of Small said in court Tuesday her brother was a victim.
“This was senseless gun violence,” the sister said.
Small’s mother said in court the killing has devastated the family and deprived her son of a future.
“My son won’t graduate high school, he won’t be able to accomplish any of the goals he had, all because of a dispute over jealousy,” Small’s mother said.
Judge says violence is still a concern
York County Family Court Judge David Guyton said in court there is still a potential for violence and conflict in the case.
“That could end up in a dangerous situation for young people,” Guyton said.
Guyton ruled the teen girl should stay detained as the police investigation continues.
“She is still potentially in danger and the public could be in danger,” Guyton said. “It is in her best interest and the best interest of the community that she remain detained.”
The April shootout
Tucker said in court Tuesday the shootout on April 25 was a gunfight. The teen girl charged with murder had been in a dispute with another teen girl concerning Small, Tucker said.
The day after the killings, Ahmik Coleman, 17, of Rock Hill, was charged as an adult with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Hart and Brevard, according to arrest warrants obtained by The Herald from the Rock Hill Police Department.
Coleman was wounded amid the shooting.
Police have said in court and in written statements that Coleman and Small were in a parked car together. Small was found dead in the driver’s seat. Coleman, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was wounded and fired back at Brevard and Hart, who had shot at him and others in the car. Brevard and Hart were wounded, police have said in a written statement.
Coleman fled the scene but returned and is charged with fatally shooting Brevard and Hart, police said.
A third teen in the back seat of the car with Coleman and Small ran from the shooting scene, police said. Neither the third teen in that car, nor the male who allegedly was with the girl, Hart and Brevard, has been identified.
No decision yet on adult court
Prosecutors are seeking a waiver from the courts to try the girl as an adult. If a Family Court judge agrees to that change after an evaluation, the girl would potentially face adult penalties for the charges. Murder carries a potential sentence of 30 years to life in adult court. Any potential punishment as a juvenile in Family Court ends at age 21.
A hearing in front of a Family Court judge on the waiver attempt has not yet been scheduled.
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 1:27 PM.
