ANDERSON, SC (WSPA) – City of Anderson Police Department officials said four people have been charged with murder following the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl in Anderson last month.
We reported earlier that Lashanti Aayania Hester, of Anderson, was shot in the head at about 2 a.m. while she was driving near the intersection of East North Avenue and Whitehall Road on June 5.
The coroner’s office said the shooting appeared to have stemmed from an fight between a group of people who were attending a graduation party at a motel. The coroner said the fight continued to a convenience store.
Hester was taken to AnMed Health Medical Center where she later died.
Her death has been ruled a homicide, according to the coroner’s office. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.
On Wednesday, Capt. Mike Aikens said two females and two males, all from Greenwood County, turned themselves into the police department.
Three of the suspects turned themselves into police on Tuesday and the fourth person turned themselves into police Wednesday morning.
Aikens said all four suspects were each charged with murder.
The suspects charged with murder were identified as Greterrious Zyquan Calhoun, 19, Javon Newson, 20, Brunyjah Rappley, and Onjayla Wiggins, both 17.
Three of the accused had arraignments Wednesday morning and the fourth person is expected to be arraigned in court Wednesday afternoon, but the judge may move the fourth person’s arraignment to Thursday.
According to Aikens, the investigation is ongoing, but said they believe to have all the suspects in this case.
One man who lives yards away from the shooting scene, spoke with 7 News about the incident.
“You imagine kids, teenagers so full of promise and potential, and to have lives cut short is really tragic,” said Chad Wright-Pittman.
Pittman said he didn’t hear the shooting when it happened, but he’s still in shocked that it did.
“Shocked that sort of violence would happen in this neighborhood that we love,” Wright-Pittman said.
Wright-Pittman, an associate pastor at a nearby church, wants the community to rally together to stop violence and sudden tragedies.
“I want to look at this as a community perspective, how can we support young people better. How can we help people find the hope that they need to not lash out in violence,” Wright-Pittman said.
He also offered words of encouragement to Hester’s family.
“They have my prayers and my support. And that nothing is going to make it magically better or make it go away, but I hope that some modicum of justice can happen with these folks, with the family. And they’re in my prayers,” Wright-Pittman added.
