LEXINGTON, S.C. — Closing arguments are set for Thursday in the trial of Jewayne Price, one of three men accused of opening fire at Columbiana Centre in 2022.
Price faces charges of attempted murder, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and unlawful carry of a pistol. Fourteen people were injured during the shooting spree that took place over Easter weekend.
During the trial, the prosecution presented a range of testimonies, including accounts from victims, who were minors at the time. The jury heard emotional recollections, with victims sharing their struggles following the traumatic event.
One witness recounted the shock, saying, “I called him [my dad] and said that I got shot and I asked him if I was gonna die.”
Another described their disorientation, saying, “It was very overwhelming because I didn't know if I would be okay, and my vision started to get blurry, and then next thing I know all I could see was black."
Law enforcement officers and firearms experts also testified, aiming to prove that Price initiated the shooting. Surveillance footage from the scene was reviewed extensively, with prosecutors pointing to actions that they argued showed Price moving toward another suspect, Marquise Robinson, with a drawn weapon.
The defense countered by asserting Price’s actions were in self-defense, challenging the prosecution’s evidence and cross-examining experts on the interpretations of the surveillance video. Demonstrations aimed to question the clarity of the evidence, as Price’s counsel sought to cast doubt on the intent behind his actions.
Closing arguments will commence at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Lexington County Courthouse.
Price’s co-defendants face trials soon, with one scheduled to begin on Friday.