A 15-year-old was killed and a 14-year-old’s charged with multiple crimes, SC sheriff says

One teenager was killed Sunday and another was arrested following a shooting at a South Carolina home, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

A 14-year-old, who has not been publicly identified because of the juvenile’s age, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and illegal possession of a weapon by a minor, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

At about 10 a.m., deputies responded to a report of a shooting in the 100 block of Hunting Avenue, according to the release. That’s near the intersection with Lower Richland Boulevard in Hopkins, in the area between Garners Ferry Road and Leesburg Road.

Inside the home, deputies found a 15-year-old victim in a chair, according to the release.

The teen had been shot in the upper body and was taken to a hospital, where the victim later died, the sheriff’s department said.

Hopkins resident Jayen Gladden is the 15-year-old who died, according to the Richland County Coroner’s Office.

No other injuries were reported.

The shooting happened after the 15-year-old visited their 14-year-old friend’s home, according to the release.

During the visit, the 14-year-old was handling a handgun near the victim, and while attempting to clear the weapon a single bullet was fired that hit the 15-year-old, the sheriff’s department said.

An investigation determined that the 14-year-old was at fault, according to the sheriff’s department. There was no word if the 14-year-old was locked up in a detention facility.

The sheriff’s department said it’s continuing to investigate where the teen got the gun.

This story was originally published December 16, 2024 at 7:57 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription