Man taking trash out killed in gang shootout, Richland sheriff says. 3 teens arrested

Three teens were arrested after a man taking out his trash was shot and killed in the crossfire of a gang-related shootout, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced Monday morning.

Dy’Quan Monroe King, 17, Elijah Karim Gilmore, 18, and Messiah Denicholas Cornish, 18, each face a charge of murder, among other charges, Lott said. They were arrested Oct. 30 and 31.

At about 8 p.m. Oct. 26, Richland County deputies were called to the 800 block of Beatty Road off of Broad River Road. Ronald A. Bonnette, 58, died at the scene after being shot in the torso.

Bonnette, a painter, was returning home from work the night of Oct. 26 and was taking out the trash in his apartment complex when the shootout occurred between two rival gangs, Lott said. None of the teens arrested lived in the apartment complex, Lott said, but they chose to meet there for the confrontation.

“It’s sad that I have to stand here and talk about that,” Lott said.

Deputies are still seeking more suspects in the case, but they confirmed the trio who were arrested had fired during the altercation, Lott said. In addition to murder, King was charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime, unlawful carrying of a pistol and discharging firearms into a dwelling.

Gilmore was also charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Cornish was also charged with possession of a firearm during a violent crime and discharging a firearm into a dwelling.

“These are four lives that are gone,” Lott said. “Three in prison and one in the cemetery.”

Lott said many details of this case are familiar to the department. Teens and young adults with access to guns have committed similar crimes in the past few months.

“We’ve got a community problem that exists within the Midlands: Young people with guns who just do not care,” Lott said.

Lott said many of the guns involved in these sort of confrontations are stolen. Since late April, the sheriff’s department brought in 553 guns off the street, he said, adding that 113 of those guns were stolen.

“They end up in the hands of these punks,” Lott said.

Four guns retrieved in this case were stolen, the sheriff said.

The incident was featured on A&E’s Live PD.

This story was originally published November 5, 2018 at 11:22 AM.