This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Ten people were shot and two more were injured inside of a mall in Columbia, South Carolina on Saturday. Police have detained three armed individuals in connection with the incident and believe they knew each other and that the shooting did not begin at random.
During a press conference following the shooting incident, Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook said officers received a call at around 2 p.m. on Saturday morning, reporting multiple gunshots at the Columbia Centre mall. Holbrook said
Holbrook said of the 12 people injured at the mall, there have been no fatalities.
Of those 12 injured, ten suffered gunshot wounds and eight of those people self-reported being transported to area hospitals. Of the eight people hospitalized, two are in critical condition and the other six were in stable condition.
The two people who were not injured by gunfire, were hurt in the stampede of the crowd after the shooting began.
Holbrook said police have detained three people who had firearms.
“What we know is at least three people were seen with firearms inside of the mall,” Holbrook said. “And at least one person fired a weapon.”
Holbrook added that police assessments of how many people fired their weapons could change and he said anyone who may have witnessed the shooting, took video of the incident or heard anything about what happened is asked to contact the Columbia Police Department’s criminal investigation bureau.
When asked about the potential motives of the armed individuals, Holbrook said “We don’t believe this was random.
“We believe they knew each other and there was some type of conflict that had occurred that resulted in gunfire,” Holbrook added. “This was not a situation where we had some random person show up to the mall to discharge a firearm to just, you know, injure people.”
Holbrook said those injured ranged in age from 15 to 73-years-old. He did not reveal the ages of the three armed individuals who were detained.
Holbrook noted the three armed individuals are not currently being referred to as suspects, but rather as persons of interest in the ongoing investigation of the shooting incident.
Individuals with information about the shooting can contact the Columbia Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau at 803-545-3525.
“We know a lot of people saw different things,” Holbrook said. “Please take a moment, collect your thoughts and reach out to law enforcement.”
