A man is going to prison after firing a hail of bullets at a group of teenagers who were having a water gun fight, according to the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
On Dec. 17 , Kiante’ De-mar Siler pleaded guilty to two counts of assault & battery (of a high and aggravated nature) and to possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the solicitor’s office said Tuesday in a news release.
The 23-year-old Lexington resident was sentenced to 7 years in South Carolina Department of Corrections prison by Judge Debra McCaslin , according to the release.
The shooting happened on June 21, 2024 , the solicitor’s office said. A group of teenagers gathered at Bridge Creek Elementary School for a water gun fight during summer break, according to the release. That’s in the Elgin area of Richland County, near Lake Carolina .
A fight broke out between the two groups, and a bystander intervened to stop the fight, the solicitor’s office said. Information about why the groups fought was not available.
As the victim and their friends were leaving, Siler grabbed a rifle from his car and shot at the victim, hitting them in the lower body, according to the release.
Even as the group with the injured teen got in a car and tried to escape the barrage of gunfire, surveillance footage showed Siler firing additional rounds while chasing the victim’s car, the solicitor’s office said.
Although the victim survived the shooting, they suffered permanent injuries that will affect them for the rest of their life, according to the release.
There was no word about how Siler was connected to the water gun fight or the teens, but he was identified by a witness in a six-person lineup, the solicitor’s office said.
Information about when Siler will begin serving his prison sentence was not available, and he’s currently listed on the inmate roster at the Alvin S . Glenn Detention center, jail records show.
Assistant Solicitor Nick Fowler led the prosecution for the solicitor’s office. Columbia attorney Seth Rose was listed as Siler’s lawyer, Richland County court records show.
December 24, 2025 | State, The: Web Edition Articles (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Noah Feit, The State | Section: crime