Teen charged with murder after shooting high school student at McDonald’s, SC cops say
A teenager was charged with murder months after another teen was killed in a shooting at a McDonald’s, South Carolina officials said.
In addition to murder, Caleb Jaleil Johnson was charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, the Aiken Department of Public Safety said. The 18-year-old Aiken resident was arrested Monday, court records show.
Thaj Nance-Parker was killed in a Dec. 3 shooting at the fast food restaurant on York Street, according to Aiken DPS. That’s less than a mile from Aiken High School, where the 16-year-old Nance-Parker was a student, according to his obituary.
He was also an employee at the McDonald’s, the Aiken Standard reported.
At about 7 p.m., Nance-Parker was shot in the parking lot at the McDonald’s, Aiken County Coroner Darryl Ables said. Nance-Parker was taken to Aiken Regional Medical Centers where he died, according to Ables.
Nance-Parker was shot once in the chest with a Glock 19 9mm handgun, according to an arrest warrant.
No other injuries were reported.
Nance-Parker is survived by his parents, a sister and a brother, among other relatives, according to the obituary. A funeral service was held for him on Dec. 17, 2021, at Mt. Hill Missionary Baptist Church.
There is no word on a motive for the gunfire, or if Johnson and Nance-Parker knew each other before the shooting.
Information about how Johnson was identified as a shooter was not available.
Johnson is being held at the Aiken County Detention Center, according to Aiken DPS. Information if any bond was set was not available.
He’s scheduled to return to court on April 1, Aiken County court records show.
In addition to Aiken DPS, the shooting was investigated by the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office, 2nd Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, Richmond County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) RAGE Unit Task Force, and South Carolina Department of Corrections..
Despite the arrest, the shooting continues to be investigated.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Aiken Department of Public Safety at 803-642-7620, or CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
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This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Teen charged with murder after shooting high school student at McDonald’s, SC cops say."
