Boy, 14, killed in Rock Hill identified; 15-year-old with stolen gun charged
A 15-year-old accused of fatally shooting a 14-year-old boy in Rock Hill Thursday with a stolen gun is facing an involuntary manslaughter charge, officials said.
Braylen Jackson died from a single gunshot at an apartment on Springsteen Road, according to York County Coroner Sabrina Gast and police.
The victim was a student at Rock Hill High School, the Rock Hill school district said in a statement and in a message to families at the school.
“Our hearts are broken at the loss of one of our students,” the school district said. “We deeply value every child in our community and are committed to supporting our students, staff and families during this difficult time.”
The school will have counselors available to students and staff, officials said.
The Rock Hill Police Department said in a statement both teens were in the apartment together when the younger teen was shot.
“The 15-year-old was manipulating and mishandling a firearm when the fatal shot was fired,” the statement said.
It is illegal for anyone under 18 to have a handgun in South Carolina.
The 15-year-old stole the gun from a vehicle before the shooting, Rock Hill police Lt. Michael Chavis said after the shooting. The juvenile also faces charges of breaking into a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen gun, and possession of a handgun by someone under 18, Chavis said.
The suspect remains in the custody of the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice. Police have not identified the person charged because the person is a juvenile.
The apartments are near Dave Lyle Boulevard and Interstate 77.
This story was originally published September 25, 2025 at 6:24 PM.
