A South Carolina mall is the location of America’s latest unfortunate bout of gun violence, leaving 10 people shot and at least 12 injured, according to ABC News. The incident occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, April 16th, with the last reports revealing that three people have been detained in connection with the crime.
Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook addressed the media shortly after, saying, “We don’t believe this was random. We believe they knew each other and something led to the gunfire.”
At this time, no fatalities have been reported, although eight of the victims were transported to the hospital for further care – two people were in critical condition, while the other six were said to be stable, ranging in age from 15 to 73, as per Holbrook.
A witness, Daniel Johnson, gave a firsthand recount to ABC, sharing that “Everybody was trying to get outside,” as the chaos unfolded. “When I was coming out, you could see baby strollers turned over, people’s phones and left keys. It was kind of a hectic situation.”
Officers have been stationed outside a nearby hotel to assist in the reunification process of patrons who may have been separated while fleeing.
Columbiana Centre has since released a statement on the shooting, writing, “Today’s isolated, senseless act of violence is extremely upsetting and our thoughts are with everyone impacted.”
“We are grateful for the quick response and continued support of our security team and our partners in law enforcement,” they continued – check back in with HNHH later for any updates on the South Carolina shooting.
[Via]
