On June 8, Jayson Cooke was shot and killed on Percival Road. Richland County K-9 units and responding officers tracked down four individual suspects. Two adolescents and two adults have been charged with his murder.
“Jayson was my only son, my pride, and my joy. He was 17 years old, a rising senior at Richland Northeast High School, and full of big dreams,” Regina Reed, Jayson’s mother, said.
Jayson was the second RNE student to become a victim to teen gun violence within 18 months. A year prior, on Feb. 16, 2024, 16-year-old Fahim Kahlid was shot and killed outside of his Woodfield home. He was a junior at RNE and a member of the basketball team. The investigation is still ongoing, and nobody has been officially charged.
Jayson and Fahim were two of six RNE students who have died by gun violence in the past five years.
“The Northeast community faces the same issues we see across all of Richland County when it comes to youth and violence,” Master Deputy Alexandra Salrin, Public Information Officer with Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), said in an email interview. “The Northeast community does have a large youth population.”
Youth in South Carolina are more susceptible to gun violence due to the lenient gun laws within the state. As of March 7, 2024, South Carolina is a permitless carry or Constitutional carry state. Adults 18 years and older who are not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm can carry a loaded handgun openly or concealed without a permit or mandatory training. This lack of required training raises concerns about the potential risk of gun misuse, primarily among youth populations.
Both Reed and RCSD believe education and involvement are the primary preventive factors in teen gun violence.
“Parents, teachers and neighbors must be actively involved in the lives of our youth and speak up when they see warning signs,” Reed said.
She believes youth need more education on conflict resolution and the real-life consequences of gun violence.
“We need the adults in our community to step up and educate young people on the permanent decision they’re making when they choose to get involved with a gun,” RCSD said.
Teaching youth to identify and take action when encountering a gun is vital to preventing youth gun violence.
On Aug. 25, Richland School District Two hosted its second annual SMART Week press conference at Columbia City Hall. BeSMART, a nationwide initiative, works to educate and prevent youth gun violence in schools. In an Instagram post regarding the program, Richland Two states, “we can reduce gun violence and create a safer environment for our children and families.”
“Today we celebrate progress in keeping our kids safe-but we also celebrate our recommitment.” – Sr. Chief Communications Officer @DarciSRush at the 2nd Annual SMART Week press conference at Columbia City Hall. @CityofColumbia
🔑Progress is powerful. Recommitment is essential.… pic.twitter.com/Uj9KrtD8zd— Richland School District Two (@RichlandTwo) August 25, 2025
Gun violence education doesn’t stop in the classroom; it is important to educate and prevent gun misuse within households as well. World Population Review shows an average of 49.4% of households in South Carolina contain a gun. Easily accessible guns, specifically unlocked and loaded guns in homes, contribute highly to youth gun access and use.
On Aug. 18, RCSD hosted an anonymous gun and ammo drop-off. Community members could turn in their firearms and ammunition at the Sheriff’s Department without fear of repercussions.
“A gun is going to get you one of two places: in the cemetery or in jail,” Sheriff Leon Lott said. Lott claims over 2,000 rounds of ammunition were collected during the drop off. That’s 2,000 rounds of ammo that cannot get into the hands of youth. Along with community-centered events, RCSD offers support and resources to those impacted by teen gun violence through their Youth Services Division and Victim Services Division, both linked below.
Although measures have been taken to prevent teen gun violence, the thoughtless acts of others affect families each day. An average of 12 youth/adolescents die from gun violence each day in the U.S., with gun violence being the leading cause of death for youth and adolescents within the country, according to the Sandy Hook Promise.
“Just losing a family member in general really hurt, but to gun violence, especially for what it was, it was so it was senseless,” Jayden Gaskins, Jayson’s god-brother and RNE senior, said.
But Jayson is not just another statistic. Every tragedy caused by teen gun violence shifts communities and takes away the sense of safety one should have in their home. Reed claims she visits Jayson’s memorial often just to feel close to him.
“Simple tasks are harder now, and my relationships have shifted because grief changes how you connect with others,” Reed said.
Reed says every day she’s reminded of the moments with her son she will never get back. Gun-related tragedies hold long-lasting effects on the victims and the communities surrounding them.
“Gun violence among teens and young adults not only hurts our communities in the present but in the future,” RCSD said.
No student should have to lose a classmate, no mother should grieve her son, and no community should have to recover. Reed has found a new purpose; she feels called to speak out against gun violence.
“Teen gun violence doesn’t just take a life- it destroys families and leaves an ache that never fades,” Reed said.
Reed hopes that Jayson will be the last RNE student, the last child, to lose their life to gun violence.
RCSD Youth Services Division
RCSD Criminal Investigations Unit
