BLYTHEWOOD – In a press conference on Wednesday morning, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced the arrest of Kyle Johnson, 43, owner of a property in Blythewood where three juveniles were shot during a large gathering at a bonfire on Oct. 31, 2025.
According to a media release from the Sheriff’s Department, Johnson helped the juveniles, including his 15-year-old son, organize the event and was aware there was underage drinking occurring. Investigators say Johnson took no steps to prevent drinking or remove the alcohol.
Lott said Johnson turned himself into law enforcement at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center and is awaiting a bond hearing. He is charged with two counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and Aggravated Breach of Peace. Johnson is the seventh parent to be arrested this year as part of the Sheriff’s Department’s parent accountability initiative. He is the first father arrested.
The Bigger Picture
Lott opened the press conference by reflecting on what Halloween night should have been for the teenagers involved.
“When you think of Halloween… going through a neighborhood and getting candy, eating too much, being out with your parents,” he said. “Unfortunately for three teenagers, they’re going to think about getting shot, about bullets, the fear that they had once they were shot with bullets.”
But Lott said the impact goes farther than the ones shot that night.
“Just imagine how scared they were – when you heard gunshots and then you see people running, hiding in their cars, hiding in the woods, going to strangers house and beating on their door asking, “Can I come in so I don’t get shot?’ -that’s what the memory’s going to be for a lot of kids that were in Blythewood at this bonfire.”
The sheriff described the event—which drew an estimated 500 to 800 attendees—as chaotic and largely unsupervised. “That’s a lot of young people who were out of control—using drugs, drinking underage, and breaking the law,” he said. “When a parent allows their son to put on an event like this and be present, then that parent needs to be held accountable. And that’s what we’ve done.”
“So who’s responsible? Well, parents are responsible. When a parent allows their son to put on an event like this and be present, know what’s going on, allows it, participates in it, then that parent needs to be held accountable. And that’s what we’ve done this morning.”
Lott went on to show security footage that captured Johnson in a convenience store shortly after the incident. He said deputies had already responded to Johnson’s home around 10:15 p.m. and instructed him to shut down the party. However, about 30 minutes later—between 10:45 and 10:47 p.m.—gunfire erupted, with at least 20 shots fired.
According to Lott, Johnson remained at the scene during the shooting and was aware that multiple people had been injured. Just 20 minutes later, around 11:07 p.m., video showed him at a convenience store “casually buying sodas” and greeting teenagers who had attended the party.
“Is that a parent that’s concerned about what just happened on his property? I don’t think so,” Lott said.
Lott emphasized that the goal of his department’s initiative is to encourage responsibility and accountability. “Our goal isn’t to see how many parents we can arrest,” he said. “It’s to get parents to be parents—know where your kids are, who they’re with, and what they’re doing.”
He added that many young people are speaking out because they’re frustrated and frightened by the violence. “These are their friends who got shot,” Lott said. “Most young people are sick of this. They want to go and have a good time with their friends and enjoy life. Not worry about getting shot.”
Lott urged parents to use common sense and stay involved in their children’s lives. “The world has changed,” he said. “There needs to be parent supervision. There needs to be security. Parents, just be parents—it’s not that hard. Just use some common sense when it comes to your child.
The sheriff thanked the teens and parents who have come forward with information and said the shooting remains under investigation, and he’s confident more arrests will be made. “You’re going to get caught,” Lott said. “It’s just a matter of time.”