Another day, another shooting, this time in Columbia, South Carolina. The capital city of the Palmetto State, Columbia, is usually a fairly quiet place.
Though that peace was broken on Saturday after a mass shooting at the Columbiana Centre Mall in Columbia.
A suspect has now been arrested in the shooting, as details begin to emerge about what happened.
What Happened?
A 22-year-old man called Jewayne Price was carrying an illegal handgun. He then opened fire at the Columbiana Centre in Columbia on Saturday, injuring 14 people ranging from teenagers to an old man.
None of these people were killed, and according to reports, only the eldest 73-year-old individual is still being held in the hospital.
Columbia’s Police Chief Skip Holbrook said there was some kind of a fight that led to Price opening fire and the shooting appears not to have been “random.”
There were actually three suspects, including Price, who were all brandishing weapons inside the mall, something that is still being investigated.
These tragedies get closer and closer to home. I’m sure some Columbia families were just out shopping for Easter weekend & now their lives have been forever changed. The nation must find the the courage, strength, & leadership to stop #GunViolence . https://t.co/MwJ9nUtMkj
— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) April 16, 2022
More Details Emerge
Law enforcement responded very quickly to the threatening men brandishing weapons and to the shooting that started; we are blessed that nobody was killed.
Traffic was also locked down in the area as police searched for suspects. Survivors were shepherded into a nearby hotel to reunite with family members they’d lost touch with in running away from the gunfire.
Democrats and leftists are calling for an end to gun violence and more restrictions on gun ownership, but this mall was already a gun-free zone. The gun carried by Price was illegally held.
As usual, we see a trend where the real problem is psychopathic criminals who shouldn’t be walking the streets carrying illegal weapons, rather than the weapons themselves being the problem.
For those asking about SC's open carry law amid the Columbiana Centre mall shooting today, the mall's code of conduct says "no firearms or illegal weapons are allowed." Under SC law, public or private employers can still prohibit people from carrying on property. #scpol #scnews
— Caitlin Byrd (@MaryCaitlinByrd) April 16, 2022
A ‘Senseless Act of Violence’
The mall itself issued a statement about the shooting, calling it a “senseless act of violence.” They added their best wishes are with all people who have been “impacted” by the horrific events.
At this point, those who watch the trend of shootings in the United States know what’s coming next. There is a high chance the suspect, Price, had a lengthy criminal record and should not even have been free to walk the streets.
Although soft on crime is even more common in blue states, it’s sadly becoming more common in red states, as well. Liberal prosecutors let repeat offenders out to be predators to the general population and settle their scores in public.
This appears to have been some kind of altercation that led to gunfire, and there’s a high chance those involved were known criminals.
All involved in this Columbia shooting belong behind bars, and they should be severely punished and stopped from ever holding a weapon again.
