Teen charged with murder after two were killed in SC State shooting, cops say
A teenager was arrested days after three men were shot — and two of them died — at South Carolina State University, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
On Tuesday, 18-year-old Cordova resident Khamanti Lytrel Kennedy was charged with murder, SLED said in a news release.
The charge is connected to the Feb. 12 shooting at a residence hall on S.C. State’s Orangeburg campus, according to the release.
The shooting happened inside a room in the Hugine Suites housing complex, and one victim died at the scene, while another died at an area hospital, SLED said.
The Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office identified the victims as 19-year-old Orangeburg resident Henry L. Crittington and 18-year-old Norway, S.C. resident Terrell Thomas.
Crittington and Thomas were not students but were visiting campus as guests of a student, university officials said.
A third shooting victim was taken to a hospital where he’s being treated for the injuries he suffered in the gunfire, SLED said. Further information on that victim’s condition was not available.
What led to the shooting?
On Feb. 12, Kennedy and three other people drove to the campus in his vehicle, and were seen on surveillance footage going into the Hugine Suites, an arrest warrant said. Later, they returned to the vehicle and took items from it, and a short time later the shooting occurred, according to the arrest warrant.
Investigators learned that Kennedy participated in buying marijuana, which led to the shooting, the arrest warrant shows. Surveillance footage showed Kennedy leaving the residence hall on foot moments after the shooting, according to the arrest warrant.
Kennedy was booked into the Orangeburg County Detention Center and will be prosecuted by the 1st Circuit Solicitor’s Office, SLED said in the release.
Despite the arrest, SLED is continuing to investigate the shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact SLED by emailing tips@sled.sc.gov, or by calling 866-472-8477.
The South Carolina State University Department of Public Safety asked SLED to investigate the shooting.
Previous incidents
This is not the first major shooting at S.C. State this academic year. One person was killed and two others were injured following multiple incidents over the university’s homecoming weekend in October.
Additionally, in March 2023, an S.C. State student was shot at the Hugine Suites, the university previously reported. In that incident, a male student was treated for a non-life threatening injury at a local hospital, the school said.
Security measures
S.C. State is implementing new entrance and exit designations to strengthen campus security and improve traffic flow at key access points, university officials said Monday.
Student Access • Enter/exit via Goff/Buckley Streets Gate (Gate 4) • Valid Student ID required • Proper parking decal must be displayed • Entry may be denied without credentials
Students Bringing Guests • Enter through Chestnut/Wilkinson Blvd Gate (Gate 5) • Guests must complete security screening • Allow extra time for processing
Visitor Hours • Visitors allowed 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. • 9 p.m. – 9 a.m. reserved for student study/rest
“The safety of our campus community remains our highest priority,” S.C. State President Alexander Conyers said in a news release. “These updates strengthen our ability to manage entry points effectively while maintaining a secure and welcoming environment.”
SOURCE: S.C. State University
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This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 8:01 AM.
