After a shooting Saturday at the Columbiana Centre mall in northern Columbia, Columbia police say 12 people were injured, including 10 by gunfire. However, police say there are no fatalities at this time.
Chief Skip Holbrook of the Columbia Police Department provided an update on the shooting, saying it was not random and that the people involved knew each other.
According to the chief, 3 people have been detained but not labeled as suspects, though they believe at least one of them fired a weapon. Anyone with information about the events leading up to the incident is asked to contact police at 803-545-3525.
At 2:03 p.m., 911 received a call about a shooting near the Gap Store in the mall, according to Holbrook. When police arrived, they discovered that 12 people had been injured. Ten people were shot, according to Holbrook, and two of them are in critical but stable condition.
The stampede that ensued resulted in the injuries of two people.
Columbia Police give update on shooting at Columbiana Centre Mall
The victims are between the ages of 15 and 73. Prisma Health Parkridge was the destination for some, while Prisma Health Richland and Lexington Medical Center were the destinations for others. Prisma Health said 11 of the patients were taken to their respective hospitals.
Witnesses tell News19 that they heard “multiple” loud gunshots inside the building, as well as people fleeing the stores. They also claimed to have seen individuals on the ground.
Several callers also reported seeing a large number of police and emergency vehicles at the mall, as well as many people attempting to flee.
People inside the mall were told to shelter in place after the shooting, according to Holbrook. Officers have been going door to door trying to save those individuals.
