None dead, 14 injured and one arrested in shooting at Columbia, SC mall
Fourteen people were injured during a shooting at Columbia Centre mall in Columbia, S.C., Saturday and one person has been arrested, according to police. None have died from the shooting.
Of those injured, nine were hit by gunfire and five others were hurt as people fled to exits, according to the Columbia Police Department.
The oldest victim was 73 years old and the youngest 15, Police Chief Skip Holbrook said.
Jewayne M. Price, 22, was charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, police said.
The man who was originally detained as a person of interest is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center and could face more charges as police said they are consulting the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Police said they are trying to identify at least two additional suspects who were seen with guns in the shopping mall.
However, two other men who were also questioned as persons of interest will not face any charges, police said. Those men were released after it was determined that they were not involved in the shooting, according to police.
The first 911 call came in at 2:03 p.m. Saturday after shots were fired near the Gap store, Holbrook said. At least three people were seen with firearms inside the mall, and at least one person fired a gun, Holbrook said.
Holbrook said it appears from a preliminary investigation that the shooter or shooters knew each other.
Police “don’t believe this is random,” Holbrook said. The shooting was “not a situation of a random person that showed up the mall” to shoot people.
Holbrook asked the public to stay out of the area as the investigation continues, and law enforcement officers could be at the mall for several more hours Saturday night.
Columbiana Centre is located in the popular Harbison shopping and entertainment district. Highway exits leading to the mall were blocked Saturday afternoon.
A reunification site was set up at the Fairfield Inn near the mall, and anyone looking to connect with family or friends who were at the mall can meet them at the hotel or call 803-732-4436.
Holbrook asked anyone with information about the shooting to call the criminal investigations bureau at 803-545-3525.
Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann was at the news conference and said this was a disappointing thing to happen in the community on one of the holiest days of the year.
“My heart and thoughts go out to the victims and their families and those inside the mall when this happened,” the mayor said. “We’ve got a great group of investigators, and we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
Along with Columbia police, other law enforcement agencies that responded included the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Irmo Police, SLED, ATF, FBI, PPP, South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Newberry County Sheriff’s Department.
This is breaking news story that will be updated. Check back.
This story was originally published April 16, 2022 at 5:16 PM with the headline "None dead, 14 injured and one arrested in shooting at Columbia, SC mall."
