Columbia Police Department (CPD) investigators have charged a man in connection with an isolated fatal shooting that happened early yesterday morning.
According to Police Chief W.H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook, 24-year-old Benjamin T. Patterson, Junior is housed at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center (ASGDC) charged with Murder, Possession of a Weapon during a Violent Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Patterson is not legally allowed to possess a firearm due to a previous domestic violence conviction. CPD investigators executed several search warrants related to the case. A few hours after the shooting, Patterson was ultimately found on Garners Ferry Road and arrested. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department assisted CPD with the case.
Incident Recap: Shortly before 3:30 a.m. on March 17, 2025, CPD North Region officers initially responded to a Shotspotter alert at the 400 block of Floyd Drive. When they arrived, they found a man sitting alone in a vehicle with an upper-body injury. The Richland County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as 58-year-old Kevin Brown. While CPD investigators continue to determine a motive for the incident, they believe Patterson confronted the victim moments before the shooting.
All persons arrested/charged are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in a court of law.