COLUMBIA, South Carolina — As things try to return to normalcy after a shooting that happened at the Columbiana Centre Mall over Easter weekend, the mall has new changes in store for its shoppers and businesses.
In a statement received by News19 from Brookfield Properties, the company that manages the mall, the company state it's taking steps to make sure that guests and tenants feel comfortable moving forward.
They say there is now an increased police presence at the mall as it has partnered with Columbia Police Department during and after the unfortunate events, operators say.
They also say they're adding in an new specially trained security dog, Carlos.
"Additionally, we are adding a specially trained, firearm-detecting German Shepard to our security team," the mall said in the statement. "The dog’s name is Carlos and he will patrol the shopping center with a security officer starting this week. We look forward to sharing more about Carlos and his handler in coming weeks."
The Columbiana Centre also emphasizes that the mall is private property and firearms and illegal weapons are strictly prohibited.
"There is nothing more important than being a safe place for our entire community," they wrote.
Gunfire erupted around 2 p.m. Saturday inside the mall. A total of 15 people were injured, according to police: 9 from gunfire, 6 from injuries caused by people running from the incident.
Columbia Police have arrested two people and are searching for a third in connection with the incident.