Teenager granted immunity for killing in Rock Hill triple homicide, self-defense cited

ROCK HILL, S.C. (WBTV) - A teenager accused of killing two people in a triple homicide in Rock Hill last year has been granted immunity for one of those killings on the basis of self-defense, court documents reveal.

According to the Rock Hill Police Department, Ahmik Coleman was arrested in April 2022 after three people were gunned down in a shootout near the 800 block of Gist Road, a residential area just off of South Cherry Road.

O’Marian Smalls, Kam’ran Brevard and Evanta Hart were all killed in the incident.

Police said Coleman was responsible for the deaths of Brevard and Hart, and charged him for both killings.

Related: Investigation continues into Rock Hill shooting that killed three

Newly-obtained court documents have since revealed that Coleman, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident, sought immunity on the grounds of self-defense.

His argument was heard in court this past October, and it was determined that he acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Brevard. The Court also, however, found that he did not act in self-defense when he killed Hart.

The Court came to its decision after doorbell video showed Brevard and Hart approach a car that Coleman, Smalls and a third person had been sitting in, before appearing to ambush the vehicle, firing several shots into it and killing Smalls.

Video showed Coleman and the third person exiting the car and running down the street.

Both Coleman and the other person fired shots at Brevard and Hart, leading them to drop to the ground.

Coleman came back to the vehicle’s vicinity shortly after running away.

When Coleman returned to the car, video showed Brevard attempting to stand back up, which was when Coleman fired a fatal shot at close range.

The Court determined that since Brevard had been trying to get back on his feet, Coleman sensed imminent danger, and that Brevard “was still a viable threat to continue to shoot him or others.”

The doorbell video also showed that Hart was still on the ground and did not appear to be getting back up when Coleman shot and killed him. Because he was not making an effort to stand up, the Court said that Coleman was not justified to kill him.

The presiding judge over the case came to his decision on Feb. 15, 2023.

Coleman remains in the York County Detention Center without bond.

Two others were also arrested in the incident.

Police took 21-year-old Chris’tavious Caldwell into custody two weeks after the shooting after he allegedly “provided backup” to Brevard and Hart during the ambush. He was charged with one count of murder following the incident.

A 16-year-old female was also arrested after she allegedly drove Brevard, Hart and Caldwell to the scene of the shootout.

Related: ‘I forgive you’: Mother of one victim in deadly Rock Hill shooting speaks to suspect

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