Third Columbiana Centre shooting suspect arrested

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) -

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

The third suspect in the Columbiana Centre mall shooting, Amari Sincere-Jamal Smith, 21, has been arrested. The Columbia Police Department says he turned himself in to law enforcement.

Smith was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center on charges of attempted murder, nine counts of aggravated assault/battery and one count of unlawful carrying of a pistol, according to the LCDC website. He is expected to be in bond court at 1 p.m., according to the Columbia Police Department.

Smith’s arrest date reads April 20 on the LCDC website.

TUESDAY APRIL 19, 2022

A City of Columbia judge denied bond for two of the suspects in the Columbiana Centre shooting.

Judge Jessica Mangum denied bond for Marquise Robinson and Jewayne Price Tuesday morning.

Both men faced nine counts of aggravated assault/battery and a charge of attempted murder.

Robinson’s unlawful carrying of a pistol charge was not addressed in the hearing, and a spokesperson for CPD said it will be addressed on a different court date.

The denied bonds came at the request of the prosecutors from the 11th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, a victim, and a victim’s advocate who were present.

Prosecutors said the shooting was the result of a conflict that dated back to 2018.

Robinson did not have a defense attorney.

Rep. Todd Rutherford (D-Richland) represented Price in court.

“Disappointed today that the bond did not work. The law is put in place for a reason,” said Rutherford.

Rutherford said there had been five incident reports to area law enforcement involving threats from the other two suspects or people connected to the suspects against Price and his family members before the Columbiana Centre shooting.

“My client is the good guy with a gun that defended himself,” he said.

Rutherford said Price’s family has continued to receive threats even after Saturday’s shooting, “His family was told that if they went to go to pick him up at the jail they’d better be strapped because something bad would happen to them. They continued to threaten them that night telling them they knew where his mother lived. These are the same threats that have been reported to law enforcement over and over again, documented with the City of Columbia, with Richland County related to the same incident in 2018.”

Price and several other people were charged with Accessory Before the Fact in relation to the death of Amon Rice in May of 2018. Rutherford said of the 2018 incident, “My client’s charges were not billed at the grand jury. Which means that probable cause didn’t event exist at his arrest. It wasn’t dismissed by a prosecutor. This was not catch-and-release. This was a grand jury in this county deciding that he never should have been arrested and never been charged with it.”

RELATED COVERAGE: FACT CHECK: Criminal history of Columbiana Centre shooting suspects

MONDAY APRIL 18, 2022

The Columbia Police Department announced a second arrest in the Columbiana Centre shooting.

CPD said Marquise Robinson is facing multiple charges in relation to Saturday’s shooting. Robinson is housed at the Lexington County Detention Center. His first court appearance will be Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Municipal Court, according to the Columbia Police Department.

He is facing:

Nine counts of Assault/Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature, one count of Murder/Attempted Murder. He is also charged with one count of Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol.

Jewayne Price, the first suspect arrested is having the same charges applied to him in addition to his Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol. Price will be in the City of Columbia Municipal Court Tuesday morning, in relation to the charges added.

Amari Sincere-Jamal Smith was identified as a third suspect. He is facing similar charges to Robinson. Two guns have been seized in the investigation as evidence.

The Columbia Police Department is offering a $10,000 reward for tips that lead to the arrest of Smith. Call 877-WANTED2. Police say all tips are strictly confidential.

Chief Holbrook said a 15th victim came forward in the investigation.

BOND UPDATE

Prisma Health said the 73-year-old woman victim is still in the hospital in fair condition.

SUSPECT BONDED SUNDAY APRIL 17, 2022

Jewayne Price, 22, the suspect in the Columbiana Centre shooting had his bond set at $25,000 with a stipulation that he wears an ankle monitor and will be on house arrest. Price cannot go to the mall or interact with anyone involved.

Price is being represented by State Rep. Todd Rutherford, who said his client was in the mall and was shot at by people who had previously made threats against him on Facebook. Rutherford also stated in a briefing after the bond hearing that he has fully cooperated with police and has been charged with unlawful carry of a pistol because he does not have a Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) but owns the gun legally and it is registered to him.

MORE: Rutherford: Suspect in Columbia Centre shooting shot in self-defense, turned himself in

The Columbia Police Department says that the judge will allow Price to travel from home to work at certain times during the day. His first court date is set for June 9, 2022.

WHAT WE KNOW NOW

The Columbia Police Department (CPD) confirmed that around 2:03 p.m. they were called to the scene of a shooting inside of Columbiana Centre. Police announced the arrest of Jewayne M. Price as a suspect.

Price is currently charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Pistol. CPD said additional charges may be coming. Two additional men were detained as persons of interest but were released after investigators found they were not involved.

During the bond hearing for Price on Sunday afternoon, the Columbia Police Department updated the injury tally to 14 people. Nine of those people suffered from gunshot wounds and five were injured when rushing from the mall (up from two people injured in the rush that was reported Saturday).

Investigators believe at least three suspects displayed weapons during the shooting and that at least two were fired. One of the firearms was collected as evidence. CPD said the shooting is likely an isolated and ongoing conflict between the suspects.

Price is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center. He is expected to have a bond hearing at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.

Columbia Chief Skip Holbrook said no one was killed in the shooting but 14 people were injured. CPD also stated that none of the people injured are suspects in the shooting.

Nine of those people were hit by gunfire. Five were trampled in the crowd as people tried to escape. Currently, the only person still in the hospital is a 73-year-old female victim.

Our team spoke with a woman who was at the mall when the shooting happened.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: SATURDAY APRIL 16, 2022

Eleven people were in the hospital after the shooting. Six of those people were gunshot victims. Two were in critical condition. The youngest shooting victim is 15 years old and the oldest is 73.

Three people have been detained in the investigation. Holbrook said police do not believe this is a random shooting and that the people knew each other.

Police have been clearing the stores one by one inside the mall. Law enforcement has asked anyone still inside to stay put until officials can evacuate them. A reunification area has been set up at the Fairfield Inn at 320 Columbiana Drive. Anyone still inside the mall can call 803-252-2911 to let law enforcement be aware of your location. Separated families can call 803-732-4436 to speak with officials to help reunite.

Anyone with information is being asked to reach out to law enforcement at 803-545-3525. Members of the Columbia Police Department, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department helped to respond to the shooting.

Prisma Health issued a statement on the shooting,

“Prisma Health sends its thoughts and prayers to everyone impacted by the incident at Columbiana Centre Mall including our first responders. Prisma Health hospitals in the Midlands received 11 patients with various injuries including gunshot wounds. These Emergency Departments are on lockdown, which is a normal part of emergency procedures.”

Prisma Health reported at around 7:17 p.m. that of the 11 patients received in Prisma Health hospitals, 9 were treated and released. Two patients were admitted.

REACTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY

Organizations and individuals issued statements and reacted to Saturday’s shooting in the mall.

Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann visited victims in the hospital with Councilwoman At-Large Aditi Bussels.

The Columbia Police Department tweeted that the department’s thoughts were with the people impacted:

POLICE ON THE SCENE

Reports of the shooting started at around 2:00 p.m. Traffic was quickly blocked off as law enforcement arrived at the scene. They instructed people to shelter in place as they began a sweep of the mall.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Officers are assessing the scene. The main entrance to the mall on Harbison Boulevard was closed after the shooting.

Part of I-26 West was closed near the Harbison area.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2022 WIS. All rights reserved.

Notice a spelling or grammar error in this article? Click or tap here to report it. Please include the article’s headline.