COLUMBIA, S.C. — Wednesday afternoon, Columbia Police were called out to shots fired at an apartment complex off of Lucius Road.
This is the sixth time law enforcement has been called to respond to apartment complex shootings in Richland County within the past month.
"We can't stress this enough but we need our community to come together and put a stop to this and say enough is enough," said Police Chief, Skip Holbrook.
Holbrook says apartment complex shootings can be more dangerous because of the number of people in the area.
"In our subsidized apartment communities you have a lot of visitors and traffic coming in and out that are not affiliated with or live in the complex," Holbrook explained. "With that comes conflict and some disorder and that's what we deal with."
Former property manager, Linda Maxwell says apartment shootings may scare some renters away but it is ultimately up to the property manager to help residents feel safe.
"It really has you on edge because sometimes you wonder what is really going on with the management," she said. "It has to take some strong management to really care about where you live."
For those considering a move after experiencing violence from these apartment complex shootings, breaking a lease may seem like an impossible task. When looking over many South Carolina leases, safety clauses and other language used in the lease can seem to protect the landlord more than the tenant, but attorney Ryan Lane says everyone should have the right to feel safe where they live.
"No one should ever feel unsafe to live in a place that they are paying for," Lane stated. "There are many steps property managers or landlords can take to effect some change."
If you are considering breaking your lease, Lane says the first thing you should do is put your landlord on notice.
"Certainly putting something in writing and sending it to the property manager would be a good first step. Then if nothing is done there, you can send something to the general manager that is over that property and usually manages other properties as well," Lane explained.
The South Carolina Landlord-Tenant Act can be helpful when writing a notice letter, especially when it comes to apartment shootings.
Chapter 27, section 40 discusses 'peaceful use and enjoyment', and if the things in this section are not being fulfilled by the landlord, tenants have the right to either file a lawsuit or break their lease.
For immediate consultation, Ryan Lane suggests contacting the South Carolina Bar.