Teen found shot and burned near Harbison had been a student at Irmo High

The 18-year-old man found shot and burned on the 200 block of Columbiana Drive Saturday night had been a student at Irmo High School.

Although little confirmed information is available about Keon Malik Brantley, he was a member of the Irmo High School wrestling team “a couple of years ago,” coach Thomas Rinehart confirmed in an email.

The team website lists Brantley on the varsity wrestling team as #10.

In 2015, Brantley was given the “Be All You Can Be” award by the Optimist Club of St. Andrews and Irmo High PTSO. The award goes to students who have been nominated by teachers for “consistent effort and performance, preparation in the classroom, improved grades, leadership or respect for school rules,” the Irmo High School Journal Jacket newsletter stated in February, 2016.

Brantley was found shot and burned Saturday night by Columbia firefighters responding to a brush fire call. He died from the gunshot in the parking lot of the Paces Brook Apartments, Lexington County coroner Margaret Fisher said.

The 18-year-old’s death has been declared a homicide and continues to be investigated by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.

If you have any information that can help investigators, you are asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-Crime-SC.

This story was originally published April 19, 2017 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Teen found shot and burned near Harbison had been a student at Irmo High."