A 16-year-old boy was shot during an argument early Monday morning at an apartment complex on the 1200 block of College Point Lane in Spartanburg County. Deputies say 24-year-old Ralphion Marquez Gooden called 911 and told dispatchers he had shot someone. Gooden is being held without bond.
According to FOX Carolina News, deputies responded shortly after 1:30 a.m. and found the 16-year-old in the apartment complex parking lot with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, where he remains hospitalized.
Witnesses Saw The Shooter Flee
Witnesses told investigators that the shooter left before law enforcement arrived, according to the report. Gooden's 911 call also provided deputies with information about the shooting.
Deputies later encountered Gooden after a pedestrian flagged them down near Valley Falls Road and North Campus Boulevard, according to the report. Investigators said the shooting followed a verbal altercation between Gooden and the teen.
Attempted Murder Charge, No Bond
Gooden was arrested and charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, the report states. He was booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center and is being held without bond.
What broader crime data show
The official figures available provide broader context rather than a county-specific breakdown of firearm-related aggravated assaults or attempted-murder cases. According to the Spartanburg Police Department's 2025 crime report, violent crime incidents in the city were 2% below the 10-year average. Statewide, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division reported that the violent crime rate decreased by 8.4% from 2023 to 2024.
The investigation remains active, according to deputies. No further details have been released about the victim's condition, the identity of any witnesses or the specific apartment complex involved beyond its College Point Lane address.
