Lexington man charged with murder after shooting in business, sheriff says
A Lexington man was charged with murder and another crime after a Sunday morning shooting, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department said.
In addition to murder, Regin Niceris Oakman, 26, was charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime after a man was killed, the sheriff’s department said Monday in a news release.
Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher identified Michael Lewis Keaton, a 39-year-old Gaston resident, as the victim, according to the release.
The gunfire was reported early in the morning at a West Columbia business in the 3900 block of Platt Springs Road, the sheriff’s department said. That’s close to the intersection with Emanuel Church Road, and about a mile from Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
The shooting stemmed from an argument between two men who worked together at the business, the sheriff’s department said.
“The two men were arguing throughout the day Saturday, then eventually started fighting after midnight. That’s when witnesses tell us Oakman pulled a gun and shot Keaton,” Sheriff Jay Koon said in the release.
Oakman drove away from the business after the shooting, according to Koon.
“Deputies identified Oakman as a person of interest in the shooting early in the investigation,” Koon said. “They tracked him to a home on Topaz Court and arrested him without incident Sunday afternoon.”
Oakman was taken to the Lexington County Detention Center where he remains behind bars waiting for a bond hearing, jail records show.
No other injuries were reported by the sheriff’s department.
This was the first fatal shooting of 2021 in Lexington County, sheriff’s department spokesperson Capt. Adam Myrick told The State.
In 2017, Oakman was convicted for failure to stop for a blue light, Lexington County court records show. Following a December 2020 arrest, Oakman was found guilty of driving under suspension, second offense, according to court records.
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This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 9:41 AM.
