A prosecutor says evidence points to two shooters as investigators work to determine who fired the shot that killed a 17-year-old student.
GAFFNEY, S.C. — Investigators are testing two recovered firearms as they work to determine who fired the fatal shot in the killing of a Gaffney High School student, a case that authorities now say involved two shooters and at least five gunshots.
The new details emerged during court proceedings after the death of 17-year-old Jomiltron Sentell Fair Jr., who was shot Wednesday morning as he was preparing to board a school bus near the Granard Courts apartment complex. Three suspects were in custody by Thursday evening, but authorities had not publicly resolved which person fired the shot that killed Fair or announced a motive.
Solicitor Barry Barnette told a court Thursday that investigators believe two guns and two shooters were involved in the shooting. He said at least five shots were fired and that both firearms had been recovered. Testing was underway to determine which weapon fired the fatal round, an issue that could become important as investigators reconstruct the roles of the people accused in the case.
Police charged Reginald Louis Barnes Jr., 17, as an adult with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was taken into custody in Spartanburg early Thursday and later denied bond. During his hearing, Barnes acknowledged being at the scene but said he was driving and did not shoot Fair. He also said he did not know Fair was going to die. His statements have not been established as fact in court.
Keveon Ken’Dre Covington, 18, was arrested Thursday after a daylong search and faces charges of murder and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Authorities said Covington fled when officers tried to find him earlier in the day, prompting a large search around roads near Gaffney and a precautionary lockout at Grassy Pond Elementary School.
Officials said residents later reported that Covington had approached a home outside the original search perimeter and asked for water and to use a phone. Authorities said he fled into the woods after officers arrived but was found shortly before 5 p.m. and arrested without incident. The lockout at the elementary school was lifted after the search ended.
A third suspect, a 16-year-old, was arrested during a traffic stop in Spartanburg County. Authorities have withheld the juvenile’s identity and have released fewer details about that suspect’s alleged actions. Investigators have not publicly provided a complete account assigning each person a specific role in the confrontation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The shooting happened shortly before the school day began Wednesday. The Cherokee County Coroner’s Office said Fair left his apartment and walked across the street to the bus stop about 6:49 a.m. Officials said another male approached him as he was preparing to board the bus and a brief confrontation followed. Fair was shot and pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by responding officers.
About 15 students were already aboard the school bus and witnessed the incident, officials said. Investigators also obtained surveillance video from the bus. Early in the investigation, authorities said the recording showed a person leaving the scene toward a waiting vehicle, giving investigators evidence about how those involved arrived and left. The later disclosure about two alleged shooters added another element to the reconstruction of the attack.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s Department of Child Fatalities is assisting with the investigation. The unit is routinely called to examine unexpected, suspicious or violent deaths of people younger than 18. Local police also increased their presence around the shooting location and area schools after Fair’s death.
Fair’s family said he was a high school senior who hoped to graduate early and was preparing to become a father in October. Community members gathered at a memorial near the bus stop as relatives and classmates mourned him. His death occurred two days after Cherokee County students returned to classrooms for the school year.
The immediate search for suspects has ended, but the central forensic question remains unresolved publicly. Investigators are examining the recovered guns and other evidence as prosecutors determine how the case will proceed against each defendant. No trial has been held, and authorities have not announced a final finding on who fired the fatal shot.
Author note: Last updated August 14, 2026.