Father Arrested After Son Throws Massive Halloween Party

Whoever you pray to, you need to say a. prayer of thanks that your child's not. dead. Tragic that we cannot have large. gatherings of teenagers without somebody. pulling a gun out and and shooting. So. those numerous parents who child got to. come home that night, you need to thank. somebody higher up for that. However, we. did have three that were shot. >> A massive party, gunshots, and now a. father facing criminal charges. All for. what allegedly happened and a Halloween.

bonfire celebration? Why is this parent. being held criminally responsible? What. could be the defense? And who else is. still at large? Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse. Weber. Real quick, let me say this. Do you know. why we can cover an important story like. this? It's because of the support that. we get from Morgan and Morgan, our. sponsor. I'm talking about America's. largest personal injury law firm. I'm. talking about a firm with over a. thousand attorneys who have recovered.

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Parents out there, let me tell you, this. is not a story about a parent coming. home to find out that their child threw. a massive party and the kid gets. grounded. No, this is completely. different. This is about absolute chaos. and violence that broke out at a party. and now a father is being held. criminally responsible. 43-year-old Kyle. Johnson out in Richland County, South. Carolina, is now facing criminal charges. after his teenage son allegedly threw a.

massive bonfire party attended by at. least 500 to 800 people, mostly young. people, and a shooting breaks out, injuring several people, leaving others. fleeing for their lives. In fact, here. is Richland County Sheriff Leon Lad, who. didn't mince words, okay? explains what. happened on October 31st on the 11,000. block of Wilson Boulevard. >> A lot of young people who were. unsupervised,

out of control on some things, using uh. using drugs, lots of underage drinking, just totally. free to break the law, do whatever, and. start shooting and people getting shot. These are our victims. Two females 16 and 17 and a male 17 are. shot. They will carry those scars the rest of. their life because.

of what Kyle Johnson did not do and that. was be be apparent that night. Pandemonium. Now, Sheriff Lot claims. that this party happened on Johnson's. property, that he allowed all of this to. happen, that he participated in it, that. he was there when the gunshots were. fired, that he needs to be held. accountable. Now, we will see if that. can be proven in a court of law, but. that is how you get to criminal. liability. Arguably, the sheriff's. deputies, they apparently arrived.

earlier in the night on this property. This was after a noise complaint ordered. the party to be shut down by 11 p.m. But. it was only 15 to 20 minutes later, according to authorities, that gunshots. rang out. Now, a few things to note. here. The people connected to the. shooting, in other words, the person or. persons who fired or carried firearms. that night, they have not been arrested. at the time of this recording. However, Sheriff Lot promises all will eventually. be arrested. But Johnson, he was.

arrested on November 12th on two counts. of contributing to the delinquency of a. minor and one count of aggravated breach. of peace. And as we're about to discuss, these charges bond Johnson's potential. defense statements. I haven't even. mentioned the apparent surveillance. footage that Lot showed to the media. that may change this whole story. Let me. bring in Jeff Wolf, criminal defense. attorney, to talk more about this. Thanks so much for coming back here on. Sidebar. I mean, how often are parents. charged for allegedly participating or.

throwing or allowing a party? I mean, not everyone ends in a shooting, but. there is a statement being made here. >> Yeah. This used to be something we. didn't see a lot of, right? We would. always see it if a parent provided the. alcohol to a party or provided drugs to. a party. You know, you think of the fun. mom cases that we started to see a few. years back, but this didn't used to be. something that you would see. you would. see kids get charged and it would be. minor offenses and so it wasn't really. viewed as much of a deterrent to.

something like this. But it's something. we've started to see. We saw it with the. school shooting out there in Michigan. and it's something that prosecutors are. starting to do which is to hold parents. accountable for the behavior of their. children. It's becoming the new wave of. prosecution. This one, I think, might be. a bridge too far to hold a parent. accountable for the throwing of a party, but no kid has been charged with the. actual shooting. And so what they're. trying to say is the parent for the kids. who threw the party are potent is.

potentially responsible for an. unidentified other child who decided to. pull a gun and do some shooting. >> Well, well, let me ask you about that. The charges going to these charges. Are. they broad enough that it can just. encompass you had what 500 to 800 people. there, minors allegedly drinking, doing. drugs, things of that nature. And then. it just so happens a shooting happens. because what are they char he's charged. with, right? contributing to the. delinquency of a minor, which if you.

look up, it says, "It shall be unlawful. for any person over 18 years of age to. knowingly and willfully encourage aid or. cause or to do any act which shall cause. or influence a minor to quote violate. any law or any municipal ordinance?" Is. that easy to prove? Is breach of the. peace easy to prove here? Well, I mean, it's hard to prove if they're saying. that he just didn't do enough to parent. his children, which is what all of their. statements are saying, that he wasn't. parenting, that he wasn't supervising. his children enough to stop them from.

doing this. Not doing enough to stop an. action is different than encouraging it. and providing it and making it happen. Okay? Not parenting is different than. making something happen. Because when. you're contributing to the delinquency. of a minor, you are making it happen. And if the simple act of not parenting. is what they're saying is what. contributed to this occurring, that's a. lot different. And what they're going to. have to prove is that his children are.

the reason that this occurred. Throwing. a party is a lot different than if his. kids brought in this alcohol with his. assistance. Well, that the question I. would be is it's not just a. responsibility as part of this charge. for what he did with his children, but. let's say if he I guess the allegation. would be look hosting the party, right? It's on his property. He knows what's. going on. Let's say he's allegedly. allowing people to come in. I did think. it was interesting that when the sheriff. was asked a question by a reporter about.

whether Johnson provided drugs and. alcohol, he wouldn't answer that. And it. feels like if he had evidence of that, wouldn't he have mentioned it or. wouldn't he that be part of his arrest? Right. Um so if this is not a but but I. don't know if it matters because again. if you're hosting a party on your. property where people are where young. people, juveniles, minors are drinking. and let and doing drugs. If that's. allegations true, does it even matter if. you supplied it yourself or just. allowing to happen for purposes of these. charges? Well, I think it does matter because if.

the evidence at this trial ends up. bearing out or in this case ends up. bearing out that he told his kids, "Hey, you can have people over, but don't. drink, don't do drugs, or that. conversation never came up." Having. people over at your house is not a a. license to get drunk, do drugs, and god. forbid have a shooting at your house. There's a big difference there. My kids. have slumber parties. That doesn't mean. I'm telling them that their friends can. bring alcohol and drugs into my home. There's a big difference there. You.

don't have to sit and watch your kids. when they have people over. Now, they're. not having 500 people over to my house. But you can't necessarily hold a parent. responsible for everything their child. does dependent on what they encourage, what they allow, what they purchase, what they let their kids purchase. There's a lot being unsaid here. Like. you said, the sheriff wouldn't answer. direct questions. And I do agree that if. they had proof that he had purchased. alcohol or allowed it to be purchased or. brought onto his property, you can bet. your bottom dollar they would have said.

it. And holding him responsible for the. shooting when they can't even figure out. who did the shooting, I think is a. bridge too far. >> Here's where I think where I think. things get a little complicated. Okay, so Sheriff Lot says that he has some. incriminating surveillance footage of. Johnson. Take a look. The shooting. happened around 10:47. Um, deputies had already been out at. 10:15. and spoke to Kyle Johnson, the father.

that was in control of this, talked to. him, told him that this party needed to. be shut down. Uh, it didn't get shut. down. Uh, 10:45, 10:45, 10:47, somewhere. in that time frame is when shots rang. out. We know at least 20 shots were. filed. at least possibly more. At least. 20 shots was fired. Kyle Johnson was. there when the shots were fired. He knew. people had gotten shot. He knew the. chaos that happened afterwards. So at.

11:07, that's not very long. He's not there. He's in his convenience store. That's him right here. >> These are kids from the party. and he is just casually in a convenience. store buying some some drinks. Could care less about what's going on in. this property. Could care less that kids.

have been shot and it's total chaos. He's just there casually buying some. sodas. You'll see a minute. He'll um. these kids are there. They still got. costumes on. You'll start fist pumping. them because they realize that they were. all at the same place. There we go. There's fist pumps. Is that. a parent that's concerned about what. just happened at his house on his. property with these kids that are shot?

Does that look any concern whatsoever? I don't think so. That is not what a parent is. That is. not what a parent should be doing. He's responsible for that party. He's. responsible for what happened that night. because he allowed it to happen. >> I mean, if that's true, if that. timeline's true there, and he is there. after the shooting and he's allegedly. fist bumping and buying supplies, isn't. that bad, Jeff? Isn't that bad for Mr.

Johnson? >> It's not a good look. There's no. question about that. But who's he buying. those beverages for becomes the issue, right? If he's going back to his own. property to finish his own night, that's. a lot different than if he's buying a. keg to keep the party going or if he is. providing alcohol to those kids, you. know, fist bumping kids who've just been. through a traumatic incident. There's. not audio in that video. If he's saying, "Hey, you know, stay up kids. You know,

have, you know, a good rest of your. night. I'm sorry that you just went. through that." I've seen teachers in. hallways of high schools who have, you. know, dealt with kids who've just had a. bad weekend and they're trying to, you. know, lift their spirits. I'd like to hear the other side of that. conversation. >> You're you're a good you're a good. defense attorney, let me tell you, because the the other Yeah. Yeah. The. other the other way of looking at it is. he's so cavalier about what just. happened. He could care less. He's not. Look, and you look, you're you're right. >> He's not being charged for being a bad.

parent. like it's not the elements of. failure as a parent is the charge. These. are very specific charges with very. specific elements. But you know, look at. his potential defense. So according to. WIS10. before his court appearance, Johnson, who by the way reportedly turned himself. into authorities, told the outlet that. while he feels responsible for his. children that night, he denies that. drugs and alcohol were being used. And. according to news 19, he said there were.

other adults present. How does that. affect the analysis? >> Well, it it definitely affects the. analysis because again, I don't think he. can be held responsible for everybody's. children. And so if there were other. parents there who were responsible for. their own children and quite frankly, even if they weren't, they're. responsible for parenting their own. children as well. That is something. where you can't just hold one person. responsible if other parents were there. in the same way that you know two little. league teams take the field. You can't.

just hold one coach responsible if the. two teams get into a fight. And so other. parents, other adults present, that's. something where we got to look at. everybody. We can't just hold one. homeowner responsible for what happened. that night. And you're right, he's not. charged with being a bad parent, but. what did they say at the press. conference? He wasn't being a parent. We. want parents to parent their children. we're going to use these statutes to. make sure that people parent their. children correctly. That's what they're. saying. That's what they're telling the. public that they're charging him with.

While at the same time, if this goes. into a court of law at a jury trial, they're going to have to prove the. elements of the offense. Not that he's a. bad parent. >> And how much does it matter if he's. present when the shooting happens? >> Depends on exactly what happened, right? Because if he's present when the. shooting happens and he says that guy's. being a jerk, shoot him. Well, that's. contributing to the delinquency of a. minor. If a kid runs up and takes a gun. out and starts shooting, he's not any. more responsible than anyone else who's.

standing there. You know, you're not. responsible for the actions of another. unless you encourage and aid embedded. >> Again, the idea would be if he's. facilitating this happening. And maybe. that's a maybe it's more maybe it's more. for a civil case, but also you do wonder. from a criminal point of view how far uh. his liability could go as they look a. little bit more into the shooting um and. the circumstances of this party. Um. could Johnson face additional charges. >> potentially? I mean, if if kids were on.

the property and let's say they were. open carrying these weapons or if they. were showing off the weapons and he. didn't say, "Hey, get out of here with. those guns." Or something along those. lines, yeah, he could face additional. charges based on that potentially. But again, they they don't even know who. did the shooting at this point. So, it's. a lot to speculate on right now. >> I I want to ask you about that in a. minute, but first, just going back to. Johnson. So, he was granted a $9,000. bond. Is that unusual in a case like. this? What were what was your reaction.

to that? >> I don't think it's unusual based on what. he's charged on. Based on what they're. holding press conferences about, it's a. fairly low bond. So, based on what. they're saying they want him held. responsible for, they didn't get a very. high bond. But based on what he's. actually charged with, the judge did the. right thing. I I will also uh tell you. that during uh his court appearance, there was a victim's advocate who was. able to successfully petition the court. for a no contact order and a thousand. yard restriction for the victims. Although Johnson apparently indicated he.

doesn't even know who the people are. that got shot. Why was it necessary to. have that? >> Well, in most states, there are going to. be laws that mandate that if there are. victims in a case, they're going to get. a protection order. And so, you know, lobbying to to get that is really quite. frankly immaterial because there it's. usually going to happen that any. witnesses or victims to a case are going. to get a protection order. I know in. Colorado it's mandatory. So, it probably. is in most states quite frankly just.

because we don't want to see tampering. We don't want to see people having the. ability to intimidate witnesses and. things like that and victims and we want. people to feel safe while cases are. pending. So, not unusual. Now, going. back to this finding out what happened. with the shooting, um, even though. Sheriff Lot indicated that parents and. young people have come forward with. information and that any photos or. videos taken that night be provided to. law enforcement and that anyone with. information is asked to call um, the. Richland County Sheriff's Department at. 803 uh,5763000.

or Crimestoppers at 1888 crime-sc. What are the complications on trying to. find out what happened with the shooting. and and who else to arrest? Um you I. mean I imagine you look through cell. phone data witnesses but it feels kind. of chaotic to find out what happened. No. >> Yeah. I mean there's hundreds of kids. there and you also have, you know, the. age-old thing where people don't want to.

snitch, right? They don't want to tell. on their friends. They don't want to get. people in trouble. And so getting people. to come forward when they know what's at. stake is always going to be tough. But. again, it's 2025. And so we don't just. have eyewitness accounts where we need. people to come forward. There's witnesses everywhere and they're. in our pockets. And so as we start to. get guest lists from parties like this, cops start to file warrants and they. file warrants for the cell phone data.

People think they can delete things off. their phone. You can't. Just like a. computer, a phone keeps a record of. everything that was actually deleted. Even there's always a ghost in the. machine. You can't actually get things. to be deleted off of your devices. And. so they can recover even the stuff. that's been deleted. It's saved in the. cloud. It's saved in the digital. footprint of your hard drive on your. phone. And so, you know, they're going. to do the leg work they need to do. People have been harmed. And so, it may.

take some time, but they're going to. keep working it. I would suspect. I I. wanted your opinion about two more. things that uh Sheriff Lot had brought. up during his press conferences. So the. first and this is goes back to the idea. of holding parents accountable is that. he said Johnson's arrest marks the first. father that they've arrested as part of. this new parent accountability. initiative by the sheriff's department. to hold pound to hold parents. accountable. Um se but it marks the. seventh arrest they've had so far. Have. you seen these kinds of initiatives.

being put forward by law enforcement? Um, and what do you make of it? >> Yeah, I mean, I think it's becoming a. part of a bit of a national trend to. hold parents accountable. Like I said, it started uh with the school shooting. out in Michigan where the parents had. bought the gun and didn't take the. warnings of the school seriously. And. so, both of those parents were charged. and later convicted in that school. shooting as being, you know, complicit. in what their son had done. And I think. that those convictions have emboldened. police and prosecutors across the.

country to start holding parents. accountable for what their children are. doing. And you know, I think that there. is merit to that in very serious cases. if parents are not taking those warnings. seriously if they are providing weapons. to their children. And I don't know that. there is going to be backlash. potentially to a case like this though. I think it it can trickle down too far. and I think this case is a good test. case for it of exactly how accountable.

are parents going to be. Are they going. to be accountable if there is a party at. their home and other kids that then come. into their home who may or may not even. be friends with their children take. actions like this. I think that things. can go too far. There can be overreach. I think that the government can move too. far with something when it becomes vogue. like this. >> And I understand that and I completely. respect that. I I do wonder if it has a. deterrent effect. I wonder if somebody.

looks at this story and goes, I'm not. having anybody at our house. I'm not. throwing a party. I'm not encouraging a. party. I'm going to limit the amount of. people that come over. Maybe that's not. the worst thing to, you know, worry. about who's coming over and limit the. amount of friends that come over. Um, but I did want to get your perspective. on something else that Sheriff Lot and. he brought this up at his initial uh. press conference. So, this is before. Johnson was arrested. This was back on. November 4th. He was responding um to. apparent accusations that the police are.

to blame for what happened. >> Now, to the parents who are blaming the. sheriff's department, putting. responsibility on us for this, shame on. you. Absolutely. Shame on you for tell. trying to deflect your responsibility on. the sheriff's department and saying that. we're the ones that should have done. more. This we're responsible for this. shooting. That's absurd. Okay, parents, that's your responsibility to know where. your teenagers at. To know what party. they're going to and what type of party. they're they're at. You know, life 360.

is very simple on their phone to track. them. And you see they're out in the. woods in Blewood. You need to be asking. why. >> So Jeff, I mean, is he right that police. did essentially everything that they. were supposed to do that it's the. parents who are responsible? I I guess I. wonder if it comes from the idea of. well, police showed up, told them to. stop the party by 11, and then it was. what, only 15 or 20 minutes later that. the shooting happened. Does police are. they responsible for this in any way?

I don't know that there again I don't. like putting the responsibility of an. individual's actions on others. Yeah. >> But I think there is merit to the fact. that if an party is out of control. coming in and saying break up this party. instead of just breaking it up which is. the police's responsibility when they. come in and have a complaint. Again, if we're assigning comparative. negligence to something when we're. talking about a potential lawsuit later, I think the police can break up a party. They don't have to come in, tell you to.

break it up, and then leave. They can. escort young people out of a place. They. can do breathalyzers. They can do what. they need to do to make sure that a. party actually ends instead of saying, "This party shouldn't be happening and. leave." I don't know that that's. necessarily their role there. And then. to come in later and say, "Hey, we told. you to do this and you didn't do it, so. now you're going to jail.". I think they do bear some. responsibility. I don't know if they'd. bear all of it quite frankly, but maybe.

some. >> Look, I think this is a very interesting. discussion. I think it was an. interesting legal aspect of how you're. but they're potentially holding a parent. responsible for this. Johnson's next. court date, by the way, is set for. January 30th. This is one I definitely. want to keep an eye on uh and see how it. progresses. But uh listen, I I mean, this is different. It is different. Um, and they talk about the seventh arrest, used to talk about it, how they might be. seeing this in other parts of the. country now. I don't know. It's just.

very unusual circumstances. I will tell. you this much. Hopefully, they make. arrests connected to the shooting. That's number one. I mean, they made a. pledge that they're going to arrest. anybody who was involved. We shall see. Uh, Jeff Wolf, thank you so much for. taking the time. Appreciate it. >> My pleasure, Jesse. >> And that's all we have for you right now. here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so. much for joining us. And as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple. Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should. get your podcasts. You can follow me on. X or Instagram. I'm Jesse Weber. I'll. speak to you next time.