Teen shot to death was former W. Ashley High School student

WEST ASHLEY, SC (WCSC) - Charleston County School District officials say a teen who was shot to death early Tuesday morning was a former West Ashley High School student.

School officials say 18-year-old Malcolm Jefferson graduated from an adult GED program that was held at the high school in the summer of 2013. Authorities say Jefferson, from Charleston, died on his 18th birthday from a gunshot wound in West Ashley.

Charleston police are asking anyone with information on Jefferson's death to call police at 607-6787 or Crime Stoppers at 554-1111.

According to a police report, the shooting happened after just after midnight at 1139 Forbes Avenue, off Magnolia Road in the Maryville neighborhood.  Officers arrived on scene to find the victim suffering from several gunshot wounds to his torso.

"I heard all this commotion going on," said Chanell Fisher, who lives nearby. "People saying there was a shooting... somebody got shot."

The victim was taken to the Medical University of South Carolina, where he later died.

People who live in the Maryville community say the violence is a rarity these days. Diane Hamilton, Maryville Neighborhood President, says the community has been working hard to become safer.

"I'm just sorry to hear it," said Hamilton. "Look this is a recent thing. You have a different type of people coming into the neighborhood now. Some of them don't live here and they visit here."

Hamilton says it's those small pockets of problems that is trying to derail the community's positive, peaceful efforts.

"The new people who have come in don't have that tie to the community," said Hamilton.

The man who lives at the address where Jefferson was shot says he jumped to the floor of his home when he heard the gunshots.

The man, who did not want to be identified, says Jefferson came into the home saying 'I'm hit, I'm hit...' before closing his eyes.

A tow truck was spotted removing a Ford SUV from the street after the shooting.

A funeral for Jefferson is set for Friday morning at the New First Missionary Baptist Church.

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