2 arrested in West Columbia man’s shooting death

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department says two people have been arrested in the shooting death of a man at his West Columbia home.

A statement from the department says a 17-year-old from Georgia and a 16-year-old from Columbia have been arrested on charges of murder, first-degree burglary and possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

Warrants say 59-year-old Roy Chris Cooper Sr. caught the suspects stealing inside his home last Friday. Investigators say Cooper was shot in the upper torso, and deputies found him lying on his back on the ground near his home.

The suspect from Georgia was awaiting a bond hearing on Tuesday. The suspect from Columbia is being held at a pre-trial detention facility. It’s not known if either suspect has an attorney.