RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Authorities have released new details on separate shootings that left two teens dead and one wounded in Richland County.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said 14-year-olds have been arrested in connection to two of the shootings, and a third incident is still under investigation after leaving a 17-year-old critically injured.
“It’s a tragedy; two young people are dead, one is in the hospital, and three are in jail," the sheriff said on Tuesday. "And all of these incidents are the result of gun violence.”
The first of the three incidents happened on Friday in the 300 block of Turkey Farm Road. Deputies arrived to find a 17-year-old victim in the woods who had been shot in the upper body. Deputies worked to stabilize the victim, and emergency medical services personnel took the person to an area hospital in critical condition.
The next incident happened on Sunday around 10 a.m. in the 100 block of Hunting Avenue. The sheriff's department had already announced the arrest of a 14-year-old for involuntary manslaughter after a gun the teen was handling fired, killing a 15-year-old. In Tuesday's update, the sheriff confirmed that another 14-year-old had stolen the gun from a parent and brought it to the home. That teen is facing a charge of accessory after the fact, petit larceny and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person under 18. The teen turned himself in on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, around 3 a.m., deputies again found a 15-year-old dead after initially responding to gunfire in the area of Hardscrabble and Clemson roads. Deputies searched the area and didn't find the crime scene at first, but around 4 a.m., a resident in the 200 block of Quinton Lane called and reported there was a body on their back porch. Deputies found the 15-year-old with multiple gunshot wounds and no vital signs. The coroner confirmed the teen's death.
Investigators identified a suspect in the case and arrested a 14-year-old on Monday with help from the Lexington County Sheriff's Department. Authorities found a gun while serving search and arrest warrants. The gun wasn't reported stolen, but investigators are still looking into where it came from and how the teen suspect got it.
During the press conference, Sheriff Lott also mentioned speaking about two 15-year-olds opening fire on his deputies a week earlier. He said kids in this age group are the ones his office is having "the most problems with" now.
"I cannot emphasize enough that these guns that these kids have, and we're talking about 14 and 15-year-olds -- that's probably eighth, ninth, tenth graders -- maybe things that you would not think that someone that age would even be thinking about," the sheriff said. "But this generation that we've got in that age group thinks that gun is the answer to everything. That gun gives him power -- gives him respect."
The sheriff said more must be done at home to reach these kids and prevent similar tragedies.
"I'm asking the community to stand up and let's do something," he said. "But we cannot continue to lose these young people like we're doing right now."