South Carolina authorities have taken a fifth person into custody in connection with the April 13, 2026 shooting that claimed the life of 17-year-old Kahlil Simmons and left another teenager injured. The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has gripped the local community and drawn widespread attention to the ongoing crisis of youth gun violence across the United States.
The investigation, which has moved swiftly since the fatal shooting, has now resulted in charges against five individuals ranging in age from 16 to 40 years old — a troubling range that reflects the complex web of alleged involvement in both the killing itself and the subsequent attempt to conceal it from law enforcement. Those charged include 18-year-old Jared Grant Marsh II, 17-year-old Tyler Hans Lariscey, 40-year-old Tarah Alexander, 40-year-old Bryan Alexander, and a 16-year-old juvenile whose identity has not been publicly released under South Carolina juvenile justice statutes.
As the case continues to develop, the community mourns a young life lost far too soon while calling for justice, accountability, and meaningful action on the root causes of youth violence in America.
The Shooting of April 13: What Authorities Have Confirmed
On April 13, 2026, 17-year-old Kahlil Simmons was shot and killed in South Carolina. A second teenager was also struck by gunfire and injured during the same incident. Emergency services responded to the scene, but despite their efforts, Kahlil Simmons did not survive his injuries. The second victim received medical treatment and survived.
According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the state’s primary criminal investigative authority, authorities launched a full investigation immediately following the shooting. SLED works in coordination with local law enforcement agencies across South Carolina to investigate violent crimes, particularly those involving minors and homicides.
The full circumstances and details of what led to the shooting remain limited at this time, as the investigation is still active and ongoing. Authorities have not released a complete account of the events leading up to the April 13 incident, citing the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings and the involvement of juvenile suspects whose cases are subject to additional legal protections under state law.
According to the South Carolina Judicial Branch, cases involving juvenile defendants are handled with specific confidentiality protections under South Carolina state law, which limits the amount of identifying information that can be publicly released during active investigations and legal proceedings involving minors.
The Five Arrests: A Complete Breakdown
Arrest 1 — Jared Grant Marsh II, 18
Among the first individuals arrested in connection with the April 13 shooting was 18-year-old Jared Grant Marsh II. Initially facing charges related to the incident, prosecutors moved to significantly upgrade those charges as the investigation progressed and evidence mounted against him.
Jared Grant Marsh II now faces charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with the death of Kahlil Simmons and the wounding of the second teenage victim. The upgraded charges reflect the seriousness with which South Carolina prosecutors are approaching this case and the strength of the evidence gathered since the shooting.
Under South Carolina Code of Laws Title 16, murder is defined as the killing of any person with malice aforethought, express or implied. A conviction for murder in South Carolina carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment depending on the circumstances and any aggravating factors established during trial.
Arrest 2 — Tyler Hans Lariscey, 17
Also among the first wave of arrests was 17-year-old Tyler Hans Lariscey, who, like Marsh, initially faced charges that were subsequently upgraded as the investigation moved forward. Tyler Hans Lariscey now faces charges of murder and attempted murder in connection with the same April 13 shooting.
The fact that Lariscey is 17 years old raises important questions about how his case will be prosecuted. Under South Carolina Code Section 63-19-1210, juveniles charged with serious felonies including murder may be transferred to General Sessions Court to be tried as adults when the nature and circumstances of the crime warrant such a transfer. Given the severity of the charges against Lariscey, prosecutors may seek to have his case heard in adult court.
According to the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ), when a juvenile is charged with a crime of this magnitude, the court weighs multiple factors including the seriousness of the offense, the juvenile’s prior record, and the likelihood of rehabilitation when determining whether transfer to adult court is appropriate.
Arrests 3 & 4 — Tarah Alexander, 40 and Bryan Alexander, 40
Following the shooting, authorities allege that Jared Grant Marsh II and Tyler Hans Lariscey fled the scene and made their way to 40-year-old Tarah Alexander and 40-year-old Bryan Alexander. According to law enforcement, the Alexanders then allegedly took deliberate steps to help the younger suspects conceal their involvement in the crime and evade detection by law enforcement.
Both Tarah Alexander and Bryan Alexander were subsequently arrested and charged as accessories after the fact to murder — a serious felony charge under South Carolina law that applies to individuals who knowingly assist a person who has committed a felony in order to help them escape arrest, trial, conviction, or punishment.
According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, being an accessory after the fact to murder is a felony offense that carries significant prison time upon conviction in South Carolina. Prosecutors across the state take such charges with the utmost seriousness, particularly in cases involving the violent death of a minor and the deliberate obstruction of a murder investigation.
The charges against Tarah Alexander and Bryan Alexander serve as a powerful reminder that helping someone evade accountability for murder carries severe legal consequences — regardless of the relationship between the accessory and the primary perpetrator.
Arrest 5 — A 16-Year-Old Juvenile
The most recent and fifth arrest in the Kahlil Simmons murder case involves a 16-year-old juvenile who has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Due to the suspect’s age, identifying information including name and photograph has not been released by authorities, consistent with South Carolina’s juvenile justice statutes and the legal protections afforded to minors in criminal proceedings.
The charge of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime carries particular significance under South Carolina law. According to South Carolina Code Section 16-23-490, this charge carries a mandatory additional sentence of five years in prison on top of whatever sentence is imposed for the underlying violent crime — a provision specifically designed by the South Carolina legislature to deter the use of firearms in the commission of violent offenses.
As with Tyler Hans Lariscey, the question of whether this 16-year-old will be tried as a juvenile or as an adult will be a central and closely watched aspect of the ongoing legal proceedings. Given that the juvenile faces a murder charge, prosecutors may seek transfer to adult court under the provisions of South Carolina’s juvenile justice transfer statutes.
Who Was Kahlil Simmons?
Kahlil Simmons was 17 years old at the time of his death on April 13, 2026. He was a teenager whose life was taken before it had the opportunity to fully unfold — before he could finish his education, pursue his ambitions, build lasting relationships, and contribute to his community in all the ways that lay ahead of him.
Details about Kahlil’s personal life, family, and background have been kept largely private by those closest to him, as is entirely appropriate for a family navigating unimaginable grief while simultaneously watching a criminal case involving the death of their child play out in the public eye. What is known beyond any doubt is that his loss has devastated his family and left a community searching for answers, demanding justice, and mourning a young man whose future was stolen from him.
The violent death of a Black teenager in America carries with it a weight that extends far beyond the individual tragedy. According to the CDC Firearm Violence — Fast Facts, homicide is the leading cause of death for Black males between the ages of 15 and 34 in the United States — a devastating public health reality that advocates, researchers, community leaders, and policymakers have been working for decades to address and reverse. Additional mortality data by race and age is available through the CDC WONDER Mortality Database.
Youth Gun Violence in South Carolina and America
The murder of Kahlil Simmons is part of a deeply troubling and well-documented national pattern of youth gun violence that has reached crisis proportions across every region of the United States. The data from leading research organizations and government agencies paints a stark and urgent picture of the scale of this crisis:
According to Everytown for Gun Safety Research:
- Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States, surpassing motor vehicle accidents for the first time in recent years
- In 2023 alone, more than 4,000 children and teenagers were killed by gun violence across America
- Black children and teenagers are disproportionately affected by gun homicide, experiencing rates 14 times higher than their white peers — a disparity rooted in systemic inequality, historical disinvestment in communities of color, and unequal access to opportunity and resources
- South Carolina consistently ranks among the states with higher-than-average rates of violent crime including homicides involving firearms
- Youth involvement in violent crime — both as victims and as perpetrators — remains one of the most significant concerns for law enforcement and community leaders across the state
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence reports that the United States has a gun homicide rate 25 times higher than other comparable high-income nations — a gap that researchers and public health advocates argue reflects both the widespread availability of firearms and the broader social and economic conditions that contribute to community violence.
According to the CDC’s research on firearm violence prevention among children and teens, firearm injuries were the leading cause of death among children and teens ages one to 19 in both 2020 and 2021, a trend that has continued to concern public health officials and lawmakers across the country.
The Role of Accessories in Violent Crime Cases
The charges against Tarah Alexander and Bryan Alexander — accessories after the fact to murder — shine a critical light on a dimension of violent crime cases that does not always receive adequate public attention: the role that adults sometimes play in helping younger perpetrators evade the consequences of their actions.
According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, when adults knowingly assist individuals who have committed violent crimes — by providing shelter, destroying evidence, providing false alibis, or otherwise obstructing a law enforcement investigation — they become criminally liable for their participation in helping a murderer escape justice.
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program notes that the deliberate concealment of violent crimes by associates of perpetrators significantly complicates investigations, delays justice for victims and their families, and can allow dangerous individuals to remain free and potentially commit additional crimes before they are ultimately apprehended. The swift arrests of Tarah Alexander and Bryan Alexander reflect the determination of South Carolina law enforcement to hold every person involved in this case — at every level — fully accountable.
Law enforcement officials across the country have consistently emphasized the importance of community members not shielding those who commit violent crimes — particularly crimes against young people — from the full weight of legal consequences.
South Carolina’s Juvenile Justice System
The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ) oversees the state’s approach to youth offenders, balancing the twin goals of accountability and rehabilitation. The department operates detention facilities, community-based programs, and early intervention initiatives designed to address the root causes of juvenile crime and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.
According to SCDJJ data, the agency has invested significantly in community-based alternatives to incarceration for juvenile offenders, recognizing that long-term outcomes are often better when young people receive structured intervention, counseling, education, and support services rather than purely punitive responses. However, in cases involving violent crimes of the most serious nature — including murder — South Carolina law provides clear mechanisms for juveniles to be tried as adults, reflecting the legislature’s determination that the gravity of the offense must be matched by the gravity of the legal response.
The South Carolina Commission on Prosecution Coordination works to ensure consistency, fairness, and rigor in the prosecution of criminal cases across all 16 of the state’s judicial circuits, including those involving juvenile defendants charged with serious violent offenses such as the charges facing both Tyler Hans Lariscey and the unnamed 16-year-old in the Kahlil Simmons murder case.
Community Response and the Demand for Justice
The arrests of Jared Grant Marsh II, Tyler Hans Lariscey, Tarah Alexander, Bryan Alexander, and the unnamed juvenile represent significant and meaningful progress in the pursuit of justice for Kahlil Simmons and his family. But the community understands that arrests are not the same as justice, and that justice itself — however complete — cannot restore what was taken on April 13, 2026.
For Kahlil’s family, every day since that date has been defined by grief, by unanswered questions, and by the painful process of watching the legal system move through a case involving the violent death of their child. They deserve the full support of their community, the full attention of the justice system, and the full accountability of every individual charged in connection with this case.
Community members, local leaders, and advocates have called for thorough and vigorous prosecution of all five individuals charged, as well as for deeper and more sustained conversations about the conditions that lead young people toward violence — lack of opportunity, easy access to firearms, economic disinvestment in vulnerable communities, and the erosion of the protective social networks that young people depend upon to thrive.
Organizations such as Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and March for Our Lives continue to advocate for meaningful policy changes at both the state and federal level designed to reduce gun violence among young Americans. Their work takes on renewed urgency with every tragedy like the one that claimed the life of Kahlil Simmons.
Support Resources for the Community
For community members affected by this tragedy and by the broader crisis of youth gun violence, the following official resources are available:
- Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741, free and confidential, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357, free, confidential, available 24/7 for mental health and crisis support
- South Carolina Department of Mental Health — Statewide mental health resources, crisis intervention, and community support services
- Everytown Support Fund — Resources and support for communities affected by gun violence across America
- National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) — Comprehensive support services for crime victims and their families
- South Carolina Victim Assistance Network — Local victim advocacy and support resources for South Carolina residents
A Final Word: Justice for Kahlil Simmons
Kahlil Simmons was 17 years old. He had his entire life ahead of him. Whatever the full circumstances of April 13 ultimately reveal through the legal process, one truth remains unassailable — a young man is gone, a family is shattered, a community is grieving, and five individuals now face serious criminal charges in connection with his death.
Jared Grant Marsh II and Tyler Hans Lariscey face charges of murder and attempted murder. Tarah Alexander and Bryan Alexander face charges as accessories after the fact to murder. A 16-year-old juvenile faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
The legal process ahead will be long and complex. EagleHub will continue to follow this case closely and provide updates as new and verified information becomes available through official channels.
Rest in peace, Kahlil Simmons. Your life mattered. Your name will not be forgotten.
The information in this article is sourced from official public records, law enforcement statements, court documents, and credible news sources. Any charges described are allegations — all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EagleHub is an independent news organization not affiliated with any government body or political party. For corrections, contact corrections@eaglehub.today
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