Columbia woman found guilty of shooting Black neighbor while yelling racial slurs

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A Columbia woman convicted of shooting a neighbor while yelling racial slurs, as well as firing into her neighbors’ homes in Rosewood, has been sentenced to decades in prison.

A jury found Mandy Morrow Fortson guilty of all charges related to the February 2017 shooting: attempted murder, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, and breach of peace -- aggravated in nature.

Fortson repeatedly fired a gun into one of her neighbor’s homes while they were having a family meal, evidence presented at trial showed. A short time later, prosecutors said she shot into another neighbor’s home as they were inside getting ready for bed.

When a Black man came outside to ask her to stop, Fortson shot him in the hip and wrist. Witnesses testified Fortson yelled derogatory racial slurs as she was shooting at her neighbors.

One of the families she targeted was Hispanic and the other was African American.

The jury found Fortson guilty Friday after a week-long trial.

A judge sentenced her to 15 years in prison on the attempted murder charge and five years for the other charges. Her sentences will run consecutively for a total of 20 years.

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