COLUMBIA, S.C. — Twelve people were injured during a shooting at Columbia Centre mall in Columbia, on Saturday and three people have been detained, according to police. None have died from the shooting.
Of those 12 injured, 10 were hit by gunfire and two others were hurt as people fled to exits, Columbia Police Department Chief Skip Holbrook said at a 5 p.m. news conference in Harbison, where Columbiana mall is located.
Eight of the people hit by gunfire were transported to area hospitals, with two in critical but stable condition. Two other gunshot victims took themselves to a hospital, Holbrook said.
The oldest victim was 73 years old and the youngest 15, Holbrook said.
The first 911 call came in at 2:03 p.m. Saturday after shots were fired near the Gap store, Holbrook said. At least three people were seen with firearms inside the mall, and at least one person fired a gun, Holbrook said.
Holbrook said it appears from a preliminary investigation that the shooter or shooters knew each other.
Police “don’t believe this is random,” Holbrook said. The shooting was “not a situation of a random person that showed up the mall” to shoot people.
Holbrook asked the public to stay out of the area as the investigation continues, and law enforcement officers could be at the mall for several more hours Saturday night.
A reunification site has been set up at the Fairfield Inn near the mall, and anyone looking to connect with family or friends who were at the mall can meet them at the hotel or call 803-732-4436.
Holbrook asked anyone with information about the shooting to call the criminal investigations bureau at 803-545-3525.
Columbia Mayor Rickenman was at the news conference and said this was a disappointing thing to happen in the community on one of the holiest days of the year.
“My heart and thoughts go out to the victims and their families and those inside the mall when this happened,” the mayor said. “We’ve got a great group of investigators, and we’re going to get to the bottom of this.”
Along with Columbia police, other law enforcement agencies that responded included the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Irmo Police, SLED, ATF, FBI, PPP, South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Newberry County Sheriff’s Department.
