A 17-year-old Gaffney student was shot and killed Wednesday morning while boarding a school bus outside his apartment complex, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement arrested one teenager as an adult early Thursday morning, while a manhunt continues for a second suspect in the Cherokee County community.
Arrest Made in Gaffney School Bus Stop Shooting
Reginald Louis Barnes Jr., 17, was taken into custody at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday by the Gaffney Police Department, with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). According to arrest warrants cited by FOX Carolina, Barnes shot 17-year-old Jomiltron Sentell Fair Jr. as the victim prepared to board a school bus on Wednesday morning, August 12, 2026.
Barnes faces charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Under South Carolina law, 17-year-olds charged with serious felonies carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years or more are automatically tried as adults in General Sessions Court, though prosecutors retain the option to move cases back to Family Court. Cherokee County Sheriff Mueller stated that Barnes was scheduled to make his first bond court appearance at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Manhunt Underway for Second Suspect
Authorities are actively searching for a second suspect identified as 18-year-old Keveon Ken’Dre Covington, who faces identical charges of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to FOX Carolina. Sheriff Mueller established a perimeter along Concord Road, Highway 150, Pleasant School Road, and Wilcox Road, where investigators believe Covington is contained.
Law enforcement reported two positive sightings of Covington in the Concord Road area on Thursday morning. Officials described him as having dreadlocks and noted that during the most recent sighting, he was shirtless while wearing the same pants seen in his sheriff’s office photograph. FlightAware tracking data showed a SLED helicopter circling above the Gaffney and Lake Whelchel area early Thursday to support ground search teams.
Local Schools Placed on Lockout
Grassy Pond Elementary School was placed on a precautionary lockout on Thursday as deputies searched the surrounding area, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. A lockout protocol mandates that students remain indoors with outdoor activities suspended, while normal interior operations and visitor entries continue. School administrators confirmed that the daily dismissal schedule remained unchanged.
The Gaffney Police Department and SLED are leading the ongoing investigation into the shooting. Law enforcement urges anyone who spots Keveon Ken’Dre Covington or possesses information regarding his whereabouts to call 911 immediately.