Video records deadly shooting of high school student at Conway bus stop. What it shows
The first six to seven gun shots can be heard on a nearby home’s security video. About 10 seconds later, eight more shots ring out.
In those initial 18 seconds, 18-year-old Ja’Mir Johnson was shot, causing his death. He died on the scene. The Carolina Forest High School student was waiting for the school bus at Rufus Street and Eighth Avenue in Conway.
It is unclear why Johnson was shot. Conway Police are investigating and additional information was unavailable.
It appears from the 30-second video to be a drive-by shooting as after the shots, the squealing of tires can be heard on the video and then a vehicle speeds past the home. The video was posted on WPDE’s Facebook.
Conway police are asking for help in identifying the vehicle and any person involved with the vehicle, according to a release Friday from Conway Police. It is believed to be a dark-colored Hyundai Elantra, the release said.
Police are asking those in the area to review any camera footage outside of their home or businesses and call police at 843-248-1790 if they have information.
The intersection where the shooting occurred is located in a quiet neighborhood, with many small to mid-size houses nearby.
A neighbor Friday morning said the bus stop is a gathering spot for many students who wait to be picked up each morning. He said at least two to three buses come by.
However, on this morning, the day after the shooting, there were few students at the stop. Those that did show up were brought in vehicles by their parents who remained in the vehicle, watching, while their children got on the bus.
A Conway Police officer circled the block multiple times beginning a little after 7 a.m. He said that there are about four bus stops in the area where children gather.
Police responded to a report of shots fired near Rufus Street and Eighth Avenue about 7:30 a.m. Feb. 1, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Horry County Schools said in a Thursday release that many students from Carolina Forest High School and Black Water Middle School witnessed the shooting at the bus stop. Police met with the students who witnessed “this tragic incident,” the release said.
Two of those students who witnessed the shooting were driven Friday to the bus stop by their mother. The mother declined to allow the students to talk, saying that it was too soon and they were still dealing with what they saw.
Another student waiting in her mother’s vehicle said she sees Johnson, but didn’t know him. She said he would sometimes be at the Rufus Street and Eighth Avenue stop or at another stop on a different corner down the street.
“It’s sad,” said Megan Robinson, the student’s mother, of Johnson’s death. Robinson decided to drive her daughter to the bus stop to make sure that she would be safe, she said.
The Sun News spoke Thursday to several neighbors, none of who wanted to give their names for safety reasons. They all said they heard the gunshots this morning and didn’t know what had happened until later. They also did not know Johnson.
Horry County Schools is offering counseling services to students “who may have been traumatized by this senseless act of violence,” the school statement said.
This story was originally published February 2, 2024 at 2:23 PM.
