COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia police and Richland deputies have detailed the people who they arrested during this past weekend's protest in Columbia.
Officers say 55 people were arrested in total on Saturday and Sunday, according to the list. The youngest person arrested was 18, while the oldest was 47.
The charges ranged from breaking curfew to looting and failing to stop on police command. However, five people faced weapons carry charges, while one of those was charged with discharging a firearm.
Almost all were from South Carolina, and most of them were from the Midlands. Just five were listed as being from out of state, with the furthest being from New York state.There were two people who did not have a listed town, however.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said he believed outside agitators were responsible for most of the most serious violence. Many of them, however, have apparently not been captured.
The events began Saturday with people marching and protesting peacefully in the streets near the State House and the Vista. But as the afternoon wore on, there were some pockets of violence, with people items being thrown and several people being hurt.
Police used tear gas to break up some of the groups. Things continued to escalate when two Columbia police cars were set on fire and windows were broken at multiple businesses in the Vista.
Lott said about 75 people tried to surround the Columbia Police Department headquarters, perhaps with the intent to set fire to it.
Richland County deputies say bullets were fired at their officers near the Vista. None of them were hit by gunfire.
Twelve police officers were injured with one Columbia Police officer needed to go to the hospital.
