Zaden Christian Bratsos, 16, a junior at Central High School in Pageland, South Carolina, was shot on the evening of Saturday, March 28, 2026. Deputies found him on North Pearl Street and he was taken to Atrium Health in Monroe, where he died of his wounds. Reports say the shooting actually occurred near CW Baker Circle and that multiple people were involved.

Zaden worked at Polly’s Ice Cream and The Ball Theatre and is described as a beloved son, brother, and friend. The Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office identified a suspect within days: 17-year-old Jeremiah J. Lockhart turned himself in the Wednesday after the shooting and was booked at the Chesterfield County Detention Center. Lockhart has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime and is being prosecuted as an adult under South Carolina law.

The investigation remains ongoing and officials say additional charges could follow as more information is developed. If anyone has information about Zaden, where he was the night of March 28, or the people involved, please come forward.