Kershaw County man who was shot last week has died. The suspect remains at large

A Kershaw County man shot last week has died, police say.

Rodney Ishmael Thompson Jr., 27, was shot Oct. 18 and has died, according to a news release from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, which is helping investigate.

Justin Smith, 30, had been charged with attempted murder and is now being charged with murder. Smith, who stands five feet six inches and weighs 140 pounds, remains at large.

Police advised people to avoid approaching Smith, as he is considered “armed and dangerous,” according to the release.

The investigation began when police responded to a call to East Richland Street in Kershaw County and found Thompson behind the wheel of a car with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head, the release said.

“We learned early on that Smith and the victim were known to each other and had a dispute about a minor incident that occurred before the shooting,” Lancaster Sheriff Barry Faile said in the news release. “From there the story unfolded quickly, and we were able to charge Smith. Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson died and this became a murder investigation.”

This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 7:33 AM.