CAYCE, S.C. — The woman who was hit by a car in the parking lot of a Cayce apartment complex after the driver was shot to death, is speaking out.
This shooting happened last week outside Alight Columbia apartments. The shooter has not yet been caught.
"It happened very fast," Erin Danforth said.
In the blink of an eye, Erin's life flashed before her eyes.
She had just parked her car at her apartment complex, coming home from class at USC.
Walking over to her passenger seat to grab her bookbag and laptop, she heard gunshots and froze.
"And when I looked up, I saw a car flying down in the parking lot and lost control and it hit, it drove up onto the grass in front of the apartment building, and it hit probably three or four cars until it slammed into me," Danforth said.
Next thing she knew, she had somehow pulled herself over to the grass and called her boyfriend.
"I think there might've been a moment where I kind of blacked out because the next thing I knew is I was laying down and I could see him and paramedics around me," Danforth said.
She had a gash in her forehead, a broken fibula and bruising up and down her right leg, as well as bruising on her arm.
"It's definitely been a struggle. I was scared to come back here. Yesterday was my first day back here," Danforth said.
She said she'd like to see upgrades to security and cameras added around the complex.
According to the general manager of Alight Columbia, they're now providing 24-hour security patrols by multiple officers, including both off-duty officers from the Cayce police department and a private company.
He said in addition to this, residents of an apartment that were suspected to have a connection to the September 9, 2024 incident have been evicted.
With Danforth's life is now on pause to focus on healing, her mom suggested setting up an online fund for some financial help.
"I really didn't expect to get much honestly, I just figured, you know, to help with because I already have a bunch of medical bills already, and I'm going to need, you know, more follow up visits. I'm probably going to need physical therapy. I'm out of work, I still need to pay rent, and then I'm going to have to get a car at some point," Danforth said.
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Erin said she's thankful it wasn't worse.
According to the Cayce police department, still no suspects have been identified and the shooter is still not in custody. If you have any information about this incident that could help in the investigation, you're encouraged to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC.