Lancaster man gets 25 years for 2014 shooting

A Lancaster man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after a jury found him guilty on three counts of attempted murder for a 2014 shooting during which a man was shot between the legs, according to the 6th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Lancaster County jurors found Brandon Rivers, 19, guilty on three counts of attempted murder late Friday afternoon after a three-day trial, 6th Circuit Solicitor Randy Newman said. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Russo sentenced Rivers to 25 years in prison an additional three years for failure to stop for blue lights, to which Rivers pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors said Rivers and a co-defendant rode on Rivers’ motorcycle to a home in the 1300 block of Lymon Reece Road about an earlier incident involving someone making “rude” comments to the co-defendant’s 9-year-old niece. Rivers had been at the home earlier in the day with his cousin about the same situation, and the homeowners threatened to call law enforcement.

When Rivers came to the home the second time, the homeowners and a guest were in the yard and again told Rivers to leave, Newman said. Before leaving, Rivers fired a .25-caliber pistol three times, with one round hitting a man between his legs. That victim was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte to remove the bullet and undergo reconstructive surgery.

Rivers fled on the motorcycle and was found traveling alone about two miles from the shooting scene by Lancaster County deputies, Newman said. Deputies tried to stop Rivers, who accelerated to more than 80 mph and led officers on a 14-mile pursuit until he wrecked his motorcycle near Kershaw.

Gloves worn by Rivers were analyzed by the State Law Enforcement Division and tested positive for gunshot residue, Newman said.

Assistant Deputy Solicitor Andy Cook prosecuted the case.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Lancaster man gets 25 years for 2014 shooting."