Juvenile charged in murder of man found near Petersburg school; it's the city's 13th this year

Bill Atkinson, Petersburg Progress-Index
Updated ·2 min read

PETERSBURG – A juvenile has been arrested in connection with the killing of a South Carolina man who was found near Walnut Hill Elementary School.

The youth, whose name and age were not released due to their age, was picked up Friday, according to a Petersburg Police email. That person has been charged with second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, shooting into an occupied vehicle and discharging a firearm.

Matthew Gibbs, 19, of Columbia, South Carolina, was shot while sitting in a car at an undisclosed location in the city. Police found him inside a vehicle at the intersection of South Boulevard and Wakefield Street adjacent to the elementary school. He was taken to a local hospital where he died.

The police email confirmed that the shooting did not take place in front of the school. Students are still about a week away from attending classes, but police put the school on a brief lockdown anyway to protect staff there.

“The Petersburg Bureau of Police offers its condolences to the family and friends of Matthew Gibbs,” the email read. “We also express gratitude to the community for their assistance, which led to a swift and secure arrest of the offender.”

The murder was Petersburg’s 13th of the year. Previous murder victims include:

  • Javarius Desmore, killed March 14 on Pin Oaks Drive;

  • Antonio Walker, killed April 5 on Henrico Street;

  • Shaun Hankins, killed April 24 on Leavenworth Street;

  • Brian Chambers, killed May 24 at the Budget Inn on Jamestown Drive;

  • Tewana Williams, killed May 27 on Talley Avenue;

  • Anthony Williams, killed June 3 on Gillfield Drive;

  • K’Von Morgan (juvenile), killed June 17 at Pecan Acres Apartments;

  • Ke’Asia Powell, killed June 26 on East Wythe Street;

  • Lucky Dwayne Burress, killed June 26 on Berkeley Avenue;

  • Darrell D. Morton, killed July 6 at Crater Square Apartments; and

  • Kirk Nims, killed July 11 on Halifax Street.

  • Johnny Englehart Jr., killed Aug. 8 on Rome Street

Counting Friday, five arrests have been made in the deaths.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Juvenile charged in murder of man found near Petersburg school