Columbia Police Chief W.H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook announces that three male juveniles have been charged in connection with two attempted murder investigations. One case is the result of a ShotSpotter gun detection activation.
Two 14-year-olds and a 16-year-old were arrested yesterday by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) and face the following CPD charges:
A 14-year-old is charged with Attempted Murder, Attempted Armed Robbery, Possession of a Firearm during a Violent Crime, Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun and Possession of a Handgun by Person under 18.
A 14-year-old is charged with Five Counts of Attempted Murder, Possession of a Firearm during a Violent Crime, Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun, and Possession of a Handgun by a Person under 18.
The 16-year-old is charged with Four Counts of Attempted Murder, Possession of a Firearm during a Violent Crime, Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun and Possession of a Handgun by a Person under 18.
The suspects are currently detained at the juvenile section of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
All persons arrested/charged are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The charges stem from the following two shooting incidents:
April 24, 2019 | Approximately 6:15 p.m. | 2300 block of Marshall Street
Officers were dispatched to the incident location after receiving a ShotSpotter alert. ShotSpotter is gunshot detection technology that reduces violent gun crime in the City of Columbia.
‘ShotSpotter’ relies on acoustic sensors to pinpoint where gunfire occurs. The information is then sent to CPD officers and 9-1-1 dispatchers through real-time digital alerts.
During this call for service, the two 14-year-olds are accused of trying to steal the victims’ belongings. As the 19 and 9-year-old ran away from the scene, the teens reportedly pulled out firearms and shot at them. No one was injured and belongings were not stolen.
April 24, 2019 | Approximately 7:15 p.m. | 6204 Benedict Street
In this incident, officers were dispatched to Benedict Street after multiple residents called 9-1-1 to report hearing gunfire. Investigators determined that a 14-year-old and 16-year-old are accused of shooting at a home. The four victims (31-year-old female, 15-year-old male, 12-year-old male and 2-year-old male) were not injured. Officers found property damage as a result of the shooting.
Additional arrests are possible in connection with the two cases.
Citizens with information about the incidents are encouraged to contact CRIMESTOPPERS in any of the following ways:
CALL toll-free, 888-CRIME-SC.
LOG onto: www.midlandscrimestoppers.com, and click on the red “Submit a tip” tab.
DOWNLOAD the new P3 Tips App for Apple or Android devices.