2 in custody after Lancaster home invasion that left woman dead and son shot, deputies say

LANCASTER, S.C. — Two suspects, including a juvenile, have been taken into custody for an alleged robbery at a Lancaster home that left a woman dead and her son hurt after being shot, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says.

The crime happened around 9:30 p.m. at a home on 15th Street where a man, 35-year-old Stephanie Johnson, a 15-year-old, and a 13-year-old lived. Deputies said someone called 911 for a shooting and when they arrived, authorities found the woman and the 15-year-old had been shot.

Deputies gave first aid until EMS arrived, and the teen was taken to the hospital. Authorities said he was seriously hurt but is expected to survive. Johnson died at the scene, they said.

Investigators said they talked to the man who lived at the home. The man reportedly heard a knock at the door. He said nobody replied when he asked who was there and the knocking continued. Then he said the door was forced open by two men wearing dark clothing, gloves, and face coverings.

Deputies said the man struggled with the intruders and that was when the shots were fired. The intruders left the scene on foot.

According to an update from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, the suspects were identified as 21-year-old Kristopher Orlando Thomas and a 15-year-old juvenile. Thomas is being charged with murder, attempted murder, first-degree burglary, attempted armed robbery, four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The sheriff’s office says the juvenile allegedly committed the same offenses as Thomas. Both of them are in custody in South Carolina.

Thomas allegedly fired the shots during the struggle, and the juvenile allegedly beat the male victim with a baseball bat, according to the sheriff’s office.

Neighbors told Channel 9′s Tina Terry that Johnson and the teen who was shot were mother and son. Beatrice McGriff said she was at home when she heard three gunshots.

“Me and my daughter we were in there ‘cause it was kind of storming. We heard the shots, but we didn’t know it was down there until we saw the police come down there,” she said.

“I hope the son that got shot [will] be OK,” McGriff said.

The sheriff’s office said on Tuesday that the 15-year-old victim is expected to recover.

“This was a very violent home invasion with a terrible outcome,” Sheriff Faile said last week. “Our thoughts and prayers are with this family, and we wish a full recovery for the young man who was shot. We are working hard to identify the two men who did this. We have already gathered lots of very good leads, but I encourage anyone with information related to this case in any way to contact the sheriff’s office.”

Anyone with information about the case should call the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office at 803-283-3388. You can also reach Midlands Crimestoppers in one of the following ways: Dial 888-CRIME-SC (888-274-6372), log onto midlandscrimestoppers.com and click on the “Submit a Tip” tab, or download the P3 Tips App for Apple or Android devices.

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