According to authorities, a suspect has been detained in the “horrific” mass shooting at a South Carolina retail mall that injured 14 people and drove scared shoppers fleeing for their lives. Late Saturday, Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook announced that Jewayne M. Price, a 22-year-old who was one of three people first detained by law enforcement, had been arrested in connection with the Easter weekend violence.
On Sunday morning, the police department reported on Twitter that he had been charged with unlawfully carrying a firearm. The Columbia Police Department noted in a press release that he could face additional charges.
According to the Columbia Police Department, a gunman opened fire at the food court of the Columbiana Centre mall in Columbia, SC, on Saturday afternoon, and Price and two other people of interest were taken to jail immediately.
Following a shooting, authorities set up a command post outside the Columbiana Centre mall in Columbia, South Carolina. Law enforcement officers congregate outside the Columbiana Centre mall. On Saturday, a shooter opened fire near the mall’s food court.
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According to the agency, investigators decided that at least three people “displayed firearms” in the mall, and at least two guns were utilized by two suspects. According to police, at least one handgun was seized. According to police, the mass shooting was an “isolated occurrence” caused by an unexplained “ongoing quarrel” between two gunmen.
Price is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center, according to a tweet from the police department early Sunday. At the Columbiana Centre mall, people wander through the parking lot. During the shooting, fourteen individuals were injured.
Raquel Eaddy, a shooting witness, told The State that she was “still numb” from the gunfire. “It was one of the most horrifying things I’ve ever witnessed,” Eaddy told the outlet. “The gunshots sounded like they were a store down.
“It was terrifying,” she added. Casey Poole, a mall customer, said he and a cashier at a mall store heard gunshots and initially thought it was raining. Jayne Price has been arrested and will most likely face charges. Detention Center for Lexington County.
“I saw everyone running for the exit at that point,” Poole, 25, told the newspaper. Kristin Truesdale reported hearing about ten “super loud” pops. “Everyone was ducking and running, so I did as well, and we raced into Express, and they forced us all in the back,” Truesdale explained.
Duane Loveday, who was working at Auntie Anne’s at the time of the shooting, told WLTX that he heard 20 to 30 rounds of gunfire. “Everyone began racing through the mall. “We were still on the floor, attempting to move our staff to the back of the store,” Loveday explained.
“We left, but there was still a lot of disturbance….” I believe everyone was unaware of what was going on. “I guess they assumed it was fireworks and such.” Meanwhile, the Columbia Police Department issued an update on the casualties late Saturday.
The gunshot injured fourteen individuals, two more than authorities initially reported. Nine of the victims were hit by gunfire, while five others had injuries such as broken bones, lacerations, and a brain injury while fleeing. According to the news statement, the victims’ ages range from 15 to 73.
According to police, the vast majority of the wounded “have been treated and freed or will be released soon.” As of late Saturday, a 73-year-old woman remained hospitalized. The shooting was described by police as an “isolated incident” caused by an undisclosed “ongoing quarrel” between two gunmen.
Jaime Harrison, former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party and chairman of the Democratic National Committee, conveyed his condolences to the victims on Saturday. “These atrocities are becoming closer and closer to home,” Harrison tweeted.
“I’m sure some Columbia families were simply out shopping for Easter weekend & now their lives have been permanently impacted. The country must find the bravery, strength, and leadership to put an end to #GunViolence.”