4 charged in Florence County home invasion, shooting

Four Florence men have been charged in connection with a home invasion where two people were shot last week, according to a press release issued Wednesday afternoon by the Florence County Sheriff’s Office.

Kendall Lavern Johnson, 18, of 2926 Battery Park Drive; Bobby Tyres Smith Jr., 19, of 6021 E. National Cemetery Road; Eric Lageorge Mouzon, 24, of 2125 Desean Drive, Lot 13; and Devon Davoris Cooper, 17, of 915 Royal St. each are charged with two counts of assault and battery with intent to kill, first-degree burglary and attempted armed robbery in connection with the case.

Smith was arrested Monday, Cooper was arrested Tuesday and Mouzon was arrested Wednesday, while Johnson was arrested Aug. 14 and initially charged with assault and battery with intent to kill in connection with a shooting that happened in June. Johnson is accused of shooting a man in the leg as the man was running from an apartment off Second Loop Road in Florence on June 21.

The warrants for Cooper allege he knowingly provided transportation for Johnson, Smith and Mouzon both to and from the crime, Capt. Mike Nunn said in the release.

It happened about 10:15 p.m. Thursday at Sterling Apartments in the 1100 block Mayfair Terrace off Second Loop Road near Florence.

Investigators said gunmen entered the victims’ apartment where the occupants were shot. Both were treated and released from an area hospital.

Johnson, Smith and Mouzon remain at the jail in Effingham each under a $125,000 bond, while Cooper remains in custody awaiting a bond hearing.