SOUTH CAROLINA (Washington Insider Magazine) – After Saturday’s South Carolina mall shooting, in which 9 people were shot and 5 more were injured while escaping, authorities made an arrest.
Except for a 73-year-old woman who remains hospitalized, all of the wounded have been released from hospital, according to the Columbia Police Department.
Investigators now believe 2 shooters were involved. According to the authorities, it’s unclear if the individual detained on a charge of unauthorized possession of a firearm was among the shooters.
Columbia authorities said the 22-year-old male might face additional charges. Following the shooting, he was among three individuals apprehended at Columbiana Centre. The remaining two, according to the department, have been released.
Initially, Police Chief W. H. “Skip” Holbrook stated that ten individuals were hurt in the incident, two of whom were severely injured, and 2 others were wounded while escaping.
After checking with medical experts at hospitals, police updated the count of victims to 14. The victims are between the ages of 15 and 73.
Police stated Saturday night that 9 of the victims had bullet wounds and 5 had injuries such as lacerations, fractured bones, as well as a head injury suffered while escaping.
Around 2 p.m., cops responded to the incident and began evacuating the mall, according to Columbia police.
According to Holbrook, the first caller reported hearing gunshots near the mall’s Gap outlet. After that, he said, he received more 911 calls.
The call was answered by officers from the South Carolina Highway Patrol, local sheriff’s department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Officers conducted an initial search of the mall to seek the wounded, followed by a second, more extensive search of the “large” structure, according to Holbrook.
Police subsequently said they think 3 individuals flashed pistols at the mall and were attempting to locate at least 2 more individuals who were spotted with guns after reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses.
According to authorities, at least two distinct guns were used by 2 individuals, according to preliminary evidence.
Cindy Rectenwald and her young daughter Rachel Turney were finishing their lunch at the mall’s food court before the roar of a strong rainfall caught their attention, according to the mother.
Columbiana Centre is around 10 kilometers from the city center of Columbia. “Today’s isolated, senseless act of violence is extremely upsetting and our thoughts are with everyone impacted,” the mall noted in a statement. The mall on Harbison Boulevard has now been shut, according to WIS-TV, an NBC affiliate in Columbia.
Image via WIS-TV
