Nighttime gunfire kills sleeping mom

ST. STEPHEN — Two unidentified gunmen fired at least a dozen times into an apartment unit early Thursday, killing a 24-year-old woman sleeping inside with her boyfriend and her four children, authorities said.

Investigators weren't sure if Kimberly Jones or her boyfriend, also in his 20s, was the intended target of the attack at the Foxcreek Apartments, Police Chief John Waters said. The two adults had been in bed along with one of the children in unit 3D when the barrage of gunfire hit the window next to them a few minutes before 2 a.m.

Several family members had rushed to Medical University Hospital, where Jones died from her wound. They returned to the complex at 260 Ravenell Drive later that morning.

"It's hard to explain to the children that their mother is never coming back," said Carmen Mayes, the eldest of Jones' six siblings. "Her life ended tragically and her family wants to know why."

The police chief said that one shooter fired from the parking lot and another directly in front of the window. One shot struck Jones and others pierced the walls to a bedroom where the three other children were sleeping, he said. Nobody else was injured.

Waters declined to release information about possible suspects, citing the ongoing investigation. He said one used a rifle and another a handgun. The State Law Enforcement Division and the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office were assisting with the investigation.

The last homicide in this northern Berkeley County town of about 1,700 was the still unsolved beating death of 7-year-old Ta'Mya Grant in September. A woman was stabbed to death at a motel here in March 2006.

Police have responded to reports of shots fired at the Foxcreek Apartments but never to any shootings until Thursday, Waters said.

Paramedics were dispatched there at 1:57 a.m. and rushed Jones to MUSC, Berkeley County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Salisbury said. She died about 5:30 a.m. An autopsy revealed a gunshot wound was the cause.

Mayes described her sister as a St. Stephen native who was close to her family. She graduated from Timberland High School, attended Denmark Technical College and had recently been working at the Citi Trends clothing store in Moncks Corner.

Jones' three sisters plan to take care of the children, who range in age from 5 months to 5 years old, Mayes said. The boyfriend is the father of the youngest child, she said.

Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com.

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