By admin 
A man whose son was recently charged with murder following a shooting at a school bus stop also has been arrested, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Read more He’s on death row for murder. Now he’s suing SC prison officials over medication
On Tuesday, 59-year-old Gaffney resident Reginald Louis Barnes Sr., was charged with accessory after the fact to murder, SLED said Wednesday in a news release.
Barnes Sr. took his son — 17-year-old Reginald Louis Barnes Jr. — to hide from law enforcement officers and lied to officials about his son’s involvement in the shooting death of 17-year-old Jomiltron Sentell Fair Jr., according to an arrest warrant. The lie included providing a false alibi for his son when questioned about Fair’s murder, the arrest warrant said.
Both Barnes Jr. and 18-year-old Keveon Ken’Dre Covington were charged with murder and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a violent crime Aug. 13, the day after Fair was shot and killed while boarding a school bus, the Gaffney Police Department previously said.
No bond has been set for either Covington or Barnes Jr., Cherokee County court records show.
A 16-year-old was also taken into custody and transferred to a South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice facility for that teen’s role in Fair’s death, according to police. The 16-year-old’s name was not made public because of the person’s age, police said.
The shooting
The shooting happened at a bus stop in the 500 block of West Rutledge Avenue, according to police.
At about 6:50 a.m. Aug. 12, Fair walked from his apartment across the street from the bus stop and was about to board the bus when a male approached him, according to Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler. After a short altercation, Fair was shot and died at the scene, according to Fowler.
Read more Is Grand Strand beach renourishment already losing sand? Why the beach has a drop-off
Police said that Fair just started his senior year at Gaffney High School.
Fowler said there were 15 students on the bus, but no other injuries were reported.
Surveillance cameras on the bus showed the shooter go to a waiting vehicle driven by another person immediately after the gunfire, according to Fowler. It was not clear if police believe Barnes or Covington to be the gunman.
There was no word about a motive for the shooting.
A father’s fate
Barnes Sr. was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center, SLED said in the release. No bond has been set for the father, Cherokee County court records show.
Barnes Sr., will be prosecuted by the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. He is scheduled to return to court Nov. 2, according to judicial records.
If he’s convicted of the Class D felony, Barnes Sr. faces a maximum punishment of 15 years in prison, according to South Carolina law.
Gaffney Police asked SLED assist in the investigation.
BEHIND THE STORY
MORE
This is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
Read more Do SC Republican voters favor Medicaid expansion? What a GOP pollster found