Suspect Named and Motive Given For Deadly Shooting At Sprint In North Augusta
Four days after two people were shot and killed at the Sprint convenience store at 107 Edgefield Road in North Augusta, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and North Augusta…
Four days after two people were shot and killed at the Sprint convenience store at 107 Edgefield Road in North Augusta, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and North Augusta Public Safety have released the name of the suspect and a motive for the shooting.
Officers were called to a report of an armed robbery with shots fired just after 2:00 pm October 26.
"Officers arrived on scene within minutes and observed a black male wearing a light red in color shirt carrying a rifle walking away from a burgundy Toyota Camry parked near the front of the store," according to the incident report.
Officers ordered the suspect, identified as 21-year-old J'Shawn Deontae Dukes, to drop the weapon, but he ignored the command and pointed it at them.
"An officer discharged his department-issued duty firearm, striking the subject. Officers were able to secure the subject and then immediately began rendering medical aid," according to the report.
That officer has since been identified as Corporal D. Givens. He is on administrative leave, as is standard in an officer-involved shooting, while SLED investigates the incident.
Additional officers went inside the store to secure the building and found a male and female with gunshot wounds near the front register.
They were identified as 76-year-old Jewel Harden of Hephzibah and 33-year-old Thomas Lilly Jr. of Williston. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Store employees had locked themselves inside an office for safety.
Dukes, meanwhile was taken to Wellstar MCG for treatment. His condition is not known.
Statement from North Augusta Public Safety Chief Junior Johnson:
"On Sunday, we responded to the senseless murder of two victims at the Sprint Gas Station at 107 Edgefield Road. Corporal D. Givens was the first officer on the scene. Upon exiting his vehicle and ordering the suspect to drop his weapon, the suspect then pointed the weapon toward the officer, and in response, Corporal Givens discharged his department-issued firearm, striking the suspect. Due to this incident being an officer-involved shooting, the investigation has been turned over to SLED.
Per policy, Corporal Givens has been placed on administrative leave.
Our condolences continue to go out to the families of the two victims. This is still an active investigation."
