FLORENCE, S.C. — A tragedy that still feels impossible unfolded on Dec. 1, when 19‑year-old Zynaija Thomas was gunned down while sitting in the passenger seat of a car. She was expecting a child — about 19 weeks along, according to the county coroner.
Police say that the shooting took place in the 600 block of Roberts Street, where Thomas and her boyfriend had stopped. As the couple sat in the car, another vehicle approached. Occupants of that vehicle — including the 17‑year-old driver — reportedly opened fire on their car.
Authorities arrested Ja’kaurie Bell, 17, whom they say was behind the wheel of the shooter’s vehicle. He now faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
Thomas’ boyfriend, though stunned and terrified, emerged unscathed. He managed to drive her to a nearby hospital — but she didn’t survive.
In the aftermath, neighborhood residents said they’re haunted by the violence. One man expressed sorrow over “so many guns on the streets,” while another confessed that images of Thomas’ boyfriend — and what could have been his own children — keep him up at night.
Stephen Starling, interim police chief of the Florence Police Department, called the killing a tragedy that underscores the need for community engagement. He urged neighbors, parents and mentors to step up — to talk, to guide, to reach out — especially when someone looks like they might pick up a gun instead of talking things out.
The investigation remains active. Police say they don’t yet know how many individuals were involved — or whether Thomas was the intended target. For now, one life lost, one more irrevocably changed, and a community left grappling with grief and fear.
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