Kahlil Simmons, a 17-year-old senior at Aiken High School in Aiken, South Carolina, was fatally shot Monday evening April 13 2026 in the 100 block of Goodman Road in Jackson, near Beech Island in Aiken County. Aiken County sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a shooting around 6:30 p.m. and found Simmons suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:13 p.m. by the Aiken County Coroner’s Office. A second male victim was also shot at least twice and transported to a local hospital for treatment. The incident occurred in a residential area of Jackson, a small community located near Atomic Road and the Savannah River Nuclear Site.
Kahlil Simmons was remembered by family and friends as a vibrant, goofy, and loving young man who made everyone around him smile. His aunt described him as her sweetheart who would drop everything to help anyone in need. His cousin recalled how he greeted everyone with hugs and constantly made sure family knew they were loved.
Teachers and classmates at Aiken High School knew him as a bright student who was weeks away from graduating a year early and dreamed of a future helping others. He was described as respectful, funny, and full of energy, someone who brought joy to every room he entered.
The Simmons family had already endured profound loss when Kahlil’s mother died from a rare form of leukemia two years earlier, an event he witnessed firsthand. His grandparents stepped in to raise him, providing love and support as he processed the grief while staying focused on school and football.
Just days before the shooting, the family celebrated Kahlil’s 17th birthday with a joyful gathering that included basketball, laughter, and shared meals. The sudden violence on Goodman Road in Jackson came as a devastating blow to a family already familiar with heartbreak.
Aiken County sheriff’s deputies are actively investigating the shooting death of Kahlil Simmons in the 100 block of Goodman Road in Jackson. Bloodhounds and a drone team were deployed to search the surrounding area, but no suspect information has been released as of April 17, 2026. The second male victim remains hospitalized. The case remains open as detectives work to determine the circumstances that led to the gunfire in the residential neighborhood near Beech Island.
The Aiken and Beech Island communities have come together in mourning the loss of Kahlil Simmons, with family and friends organizing a vigil on Goodman Road lined with candles, blue balloons, and hugs in honor of his life. Neighbors described the area as normally quiet, and many expressed shock that violence reached their street. The high school and local youth groups have offered counseling support as students and residents process the death of a well-liked teenager who was weeks from early graduation.
