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Recent fatal shootings connected to criminal activity, Richland County Sheriff says

Three recent fatal shootings have all been connected to criminal activity, according to Richland County Sheriff's Department.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Recent shootings in Richland County are being tied to criminal activity, according to the Richland County Sheriff's Department.

In a press conference Wednesday morning, Sheriff Leon Lott addressed multiple fatal shootings that have taken place in early 2021, including one where the weapon had previously been used in a different fatal shooting in Hopkins. 

According to Lott, the shootings have not been random, but have been tied to criminal activity. 

"I don't want our community to think that we've got people out here just randomly shooting people," Lott said. 

The updates involved three shootings in Richland County: a Feb. 8 shooting where a man was found shot in his car, a Feb. 4 shooting where a 19-year-old woman was found shot in her car, and a Jan. 29 shooting where a woman was shot inside of a nail salon. 

During the update, Sheriff Lott reiterated something he has said previously, that guns will get you "one of two places," the cemetery or jail. 

Christopher Brown, 35, was found on Feb. 8 after his vehicle crashed. He had been shot in the upper body and later died. 

RELATED: Man killed while driving car in northern Richland County identified

According to Sheriff Lott, Brown had been involved in an armed robbery where he was shot. He then got into his vehicle and crashed. 

"I don't want anybody to think I am minimizing someone's life even though they were involved in criminal activity," Lott said. 

Raeneshia Nixon, 19, was also found shot in her vehicle on Feb. 4. She had her infant baby, an 8-year-old, and a 16-year-old in her car. According to law enforcement, there was criminal activity going on that ended in the shooting incident. 

In the update, RCSD says they have identified a person of interest in the case and have also charged the 16-year-old passenger with obstruction of justice. 

This case was also "distributing" to the department, according to Sheriff Lott, because the weapon that fired the fatal shot was also used in a Jan. 7 fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ryan Knight. 

RELATED: Richland County 16-year-old shot to death identified

According to RCSD, there is no known connection between the two incidents other than the weapon used. 

They have not been able to find the weapon used in these two cases. Sheriff Lott said that things like this show that weapons are being traded and sold across the county 

"This just demonstrates how these guns are being passed around, and how these guns are continuously being in criminal acts," Lott said. 

The department also gave on update on the shooting that occurred in a nail salon on Jan. 29. 

RELATED: "They left her there to die." Woman calls for justice after her sister was shot at a nail salon

RELATED: Woman shot at Columbia nail salon, suspect wanted

Octavia Johnson was shot at a nail salon after a verbal argument. According to investigators, her child was present. RCSD says that Johnson was in an argument with a woman when a man came in and and shot Johnson. They have identified the woman and are working to identify the male. According to the report, Johnson also had a weapon during the incident.

Lott ended the update by sending prayers to the families involved, and saying that the department would solve all these cases. 

RELATED: Three 'weeks of terror' after robbery suspects targeted Hispanic community in Columbia, sheriff says

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