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Police are responding to a shooting at Columbia Place Mall in South Carolina on Saturday, with at least one victim being taken to a local hospital. According to reports, two groups reportedly got into a dispute in the parking lot, with both groups draw firearms and shooting each other when the victim got hit. During early reports of the story, no suspect is currently in police custody; police have also not issued information on possible suspects at this time.
What happened?
According to The State, the shooting took place within a mall parking lot at about 2:40 P.M., as confirmed by a department statement. The injured man walked into the mall and collapsed, bringing attention to the situation, leading him to be taken to a local hospital. His current state and the severity of his injuries are not known at this time.
According to WACH Fox 57, investigators are currently at the mall and at the hospital where the victim has been taken. While the two groups were believed to have dispersed by vehicle, no vehicle descriptions are available at this time, according to WLTX 19; reports describing the possible suspect or suspects behind the shooting have also not yet been released by police.
At this time, the identity of the victim also does not appear to have been released to the public.
UPDATE: According to Fox Carolina, a second victim connected to the shooting has been taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries; news has also been released that the first victim, however, did sustain life-threatening injuries.
What is being said about the shooting?
Jenna Cisneros, a reporter for WISTV, issued the following statements on Twitter:
“Deputies on scene at Columbia Place Mall after a shooting took place in the parking lot. We know a victim was shot and walked into the mall where he then collapsed.”
“RCSD is looking for the suspect(s). We know the two groups of people involved got into cars and took off. Description of the cars are unknown.”
As this story is developing, more information will be updated as made possible.