COLUMBIA, S.C. — The suspect in the shooting along a busy Columbia road that tied up traffic for hours wanted to have a shootout with officers, police said during a bond hearing.
Brandon Joyner, 26, was in court Wednesday afternoon for an appearance related to charges from Tuesday's incident along Greystone Boulevard. He's facing 10 counts of attempted murder as well as a charge of domestic violence and several weapons violations.
The judge denied bond for now, but because of the severity of the charges, some of those counts will have to be heard in front of a circuit court judge at a later date.
Police provided new details about the incident during the court appearance, including that the situation began with a domestic incident inside a hotel near where the shooting took place. Police told the judge Wednesday it involved Joyner and his fiancee.
Investigator Matthew McCoy said Joyner then went outside armed with a gun and planned to have a violent encounter with law enforcement. McCoy said Joyner is also facing a domestic violence charge out of Myrtle Beach with the same victim and was worried how those charges might affect him.
"He said he wanted a full-fledge shootout, he wanted to commit suicide by cop," said McCoy about an interview investigators conducted with Joyner after his arrest. "He said he thought his kids were going to be taken away from him because of the domestic incidents."
Police had said they got a call around 11:37 a.m. Tuesday of a man firing a gun near the intersection of Greystone and Stoneridge Drive. Officers arrived four minutes later and said that Joyner immediately began firing at them.
McCoy said Joyner reloaded his weapon after the first volley of shots. Police fired back, and one of the bullets hit Joyner.
The suspect then ran away, police say, and officers began a manhunt to find him that involved dozens of law enforcement officers from multiple agencies and a helicopter. While he was eluding them, McCoy says Joyner was able to change his clothes.
He was found after about 90 minutes later and was transported to the hospital for treatment. He was booked into the county jail early Wednesday morning, according to online records.