Darlington, South Carolina — Markeis Agbo-Thomas, 25, pleaded guilty earlier this week to aggravated assault and battery in connection with a shooting in Darlington in May 2022 that injured a 6-year-old kid.
Agbo-Thomas fired rounds from a second-floor apartment on Parrott Street in Darlington, hitting a young child in the back. Thankfully, the child survived her injuries.
The Honorable Judge Gibbons of Darlington County General Sessions Court sentenced Agbo-Thomas to eight years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
According to state law, this offense is classed as both violent and serious, requiring the prisoner to serve 85% of the sentence and counts as a strike under South Carolina’s two-strike rule.
During the sentencing, Judge Gibbons stressed the urgent need to reduce gun violence, citing the devastating impact it continues to have on local families and communities. The victim’s family expressed relief and thanks for the case’s finality and responsibility provided by the plea.
Savannah Baxley, Assistant Solicitor, prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.
Solicitor Paul M. Burch praised the Darlington Police Department’s hard work and thanked the victim’s family for their strength and cooperation throughout the legal process.
The Darlington Police Department investigated the crime.
