COLUMBIA, SC – Ten people have been shot and two others injured in a shooting at a South Carolina mall that authorities do not believe was a random attack.
WH Sheriff “Skip” Holbrook said three gunmen were in custody in connection with the Saturday afternoon shooting at the Columbiana Center. He said that at least one of those three had fired the weapon.
“We don’t believe this is random,” Holbrook said. “We believe they knew each other and something led to the shooting.”
Authorities said no deaths had been reported, but eight of the victims were taken to hospital. Of those eight, two are in critical condition and six are in stable condition, Holbrook said. The victims ranged in age from 15 to 73, he said.
The mall is being evacuated store by store and police are urging anyone still inside to call 911 so authorities can find them.
Workers at several stores gathered in a mostly empty parking lot on Saturday night said they did not hear or see anything during the shooting but monitored the mall’s alert system and were alerted. immediately evacuate. They said they waited for hours for the police to let them into their home to get their car keys and personal belongings so they could leave. They declined to give their names, citing company policies.
“Today’s act of isolated, senseless violence is truly astounding and our thoughts are with everyone affected,” the Columbiana Center said in a statement. “We are grateful for the quick response and continued support of our security team and partners in law enforcement.”
