18-year-old Carolina Forest High School student dies in shooting near school bus stop in Conway, authorities say

Dennis Bright
·1 min read
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CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — An 18-year-old was killed in a shooting Thursday morning in Conway, according to the Horry County Coroner’s Office.

Ja’Mir Johnson, a student at Carolina Forest High School, died at the scene, the coroner’s office said. An autopsy is scheduled for later this week.

Conway police were called at about 7:30 a.m. to investigate shots fired in the area of Rufus Street and 8th Avenue.

Horry County Schools said in a statement that the shooting happened near one of its bus stops. Several students from both Carolina Forest High School and Blackwater Middle School witnessed the shooting.

“The police are currently meeting with the students who may have witnessed this tragic incident,” the statement reads. “Additional counseling will be available to assist our students who may have been traumatized by this senseless act of violence.”

A neighbor who did not want to give his name said he thinks the shooting could have been a drive-by, but that the only vehicle that passed was a logging truck and it didn’t stop for long enough.

“I walked out on the back to smoke, and I was out there for maybe two minutes and I heard just gunshots,” he said. “I ran inside and come out the front to see if the house was being shot up and I heard a lady in the street yelling ‘breathe.’ But I never saw anyone go over near the child.”

There were not other injuries, HCS said.

No additional information was immediately available. Anyone with information is asked to call 843-248-1790.

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Jackie LiBrizzi is a multimedia journalist at News13. Jackie is originally from Hamilton, New Jersey, and was raised in Piedmont, South Carolina. Jackie joined the News13 team in June 2023 after she graduated as a student-athlete from the University of South Carolina in May 2023. Follow Jackie on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

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Dennis Bright is a Digital Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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