Crime
Tiyelle Rakelle Demon Hollings Charged with Murder in Deadly Juneteenth Celebration Shooting in Anderson County
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. — An 18-year-old man has been charged in connection with a deadly shooting that occurred during a Juneteenth celebration in Anderson County, South Carolina, leaving one woman dead and nine others injured.
According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Tiyelle Rakelle Demon Hollings, 18, has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime following the incident on Saturday night.
Authorities say Hollings opened fire into a crowd after a fight broke out around 10 p.m. along Scarborough Road, where hundreds had gathered for the annual Juneteenth celebration.
One of the bullets struck and killed 35-year-old Laporshia Cobb, who Sheriff Chad McBride confirmed was the mother of three children.
“All of the victims, including Ms. Cobb, were innocent bystanders,” McBride stated. “This was a senseless act of violence. The shooter was indiscriminately spraying bullets into a crowd.”
In total, nine other individuals were wounded by gunfire during the chaos. One victim was airlifted to a nearby trauma center due to the severity of their injuries, while the others were transported for emergency treatment in Anderson.
The current conditions of the injured victims have not been publicly released.
The event, which has been held annually for several years, was brought to a tragic halt as panic erupted among attendees who fled for safety amid the hail of gunfire.
The investigation remains active. The sheriff’s office said they are pursuing multiple leads and have identified other persons of interest.
Authorities indicated that additional arrests may be forthcoming as they work to determine all individuals involved in the incident.
Sheriff McBride urged anyone with information or video footage from the scene to come forward.
“This tragedy should never have happened. Our thoughts are with the family of Laporshia Cobb and all those affected by this horrific act,” he said.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.