Mother remembers 14-year-old killed in mass shooting two years later

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A mother continues to grieve the loss of her 14-year-old daughter who was killed in a North Charleston mass shooting two years ago.

The shooting happened on May 22, 2021, in the area of Piggly Wiggly Drive and West Jimtown Drive at what North Charleston Police described as an “unauthorized concert.” The shooting involved two groups of people, which detectives characterized as gangs, who they say saw each other at the gathering and began shooting at each other and not caring who was in between them.

“Since that day, me and my family’s life has been turned upside down,” Katrina Sinclair, mom of 14-year-old Ronjanae Smith.

Smith was pronounced dead the following day.

“There’s a space in my chest that no longer have a heart,” Sinclair said. “They took a very, very special young lady away from me.”

The four men charged in this case are Tye Sherrod Robinson Jr., Tyquan Denard Cooper, Manqual Laval Horlbeck Jr. and Malachi Maurice Wigfall. All four are still booked in the Al Cannon Detention Center and according to Sinclair, each has been denied bond at least three times since then.

All four men each face charges of manslaughter, 12 counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

“It’s just ridiculous how you can put a gun to your hand and cause this action, but when it’s time to face the consequences, you run,” Sinclair said.

Sinclair says the family has to relive the emotions every time they attend a bond hearing. She says she feels lost and angry.

“One day, hopefully we can wake up and there’s no gun violence,” Sinclair said. “We aren’t losing our children. The parents aren’t burying children because it shouldn’t be that way.”

North Charleston Police say they are awaiting trial and their hearts continue to go out to the Smith family. The solicitor’s office has yet to confirm when the trial dates may be.

“I would like more to be done,” Sinclair said. “Just time. But I got to just keep faith in God and pray about it and leave it in His hands.”

There will be a gathering and balloon release in honor of Ronjanae Smith on Tuesday in the Deas Hill Community off Rivers Avenue and Durant Avenue from 4-7 p.m. The address is 2136 Gaillard Ln. in North Charleston.

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