News Summary
A shooting in Columbia early Saturday morning resulted in shattered windows and a glass door at three businesses on Sumter Street, causing an estimated $4,000 in damage. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The incident, characterized as vandalism by local business owners, has raised safety concerns within the community. Police are investigating the shooting and seeking the unknown suspect. The neighborhood typically considered safe is rallying together to support affected businesses.
Columbia – A shooting incident early Saturday morning left storefront windows and a glass door shattered at three businesses on the 2200 block of Sumter Street. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported following the shooting, which occurred around 12:30 a.m. on June 14.
According to the Columbia police, the damage was identified as resulting from gunfire. The businesses affected include Indah Coffee, Circa Barbershop, and Cottontown CrossFit. Damage to the three establishments is estimated at $4,000.
Indah Coffee, which was bustling with customers at the time of the incident, continued to serve patrons despite the damage. Upon receiving a glass break notification, the owner, Nick Hauser, promptly notified the police. Responding officers discovered shattered glass at all three sites and collected a shell casing believed to be from a handgun.
Hauser characterized the shooting as a cowardly act of vandalism, expressing concern for the safety of children in the area due to the presence of broken glass. Following the incident, businesses covered their damaged windows with wooden paneling, and the wreckage situation is reported to be mostly under control.
The neighborhood is typically considered a safe area within downtown Columbia, although late-night incidents have been noted. The area known for its developing nature features various small businesses, including Il Focolare, a small pizza restaurant that was not affected by the shooting.
The owner of Circa Barbershop, DR Granger, learned of the shooting from the staff at Indah Coffee. At Circa, one side of their double-pane window was shattered while the other displayed a bullet hole. Both Indah Coffee and Circa Barbershop noted that this was their first experience with a shooting, although they both experienced attempts of break-ins during the early years of their operations.
Despite the challenges posed by this incident, Granger highlighted the strong community ties among the businesses on the block and expressed optimism regarding recovery from the event. Police authorities are currently investigating and actively seeking an unknown suspect linked to the shooting.
The incident has raised concern among local business owners and residents alike as they navigate the aftermath. The community’s response to the shooting will be crucial in fostering a sense of safety and resilience amongst the businesses and patrons of Sumter Street.
As investigations continue, local authorities encourage anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward. Community support remains a strong pillar as the affected businesses work to rebuild and restore their storefronts.
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Additional Resources
- The State
- Wikipedia: Columbia, South Carolina
- Post and Courier
- Google Search: Columbia shooting
- Fox17
- Google Scholar: Columbia crime
- WKRN
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Columbia, South Carolina
- Main Street Media
- Google News: Cottontown shooting
Author: STAFF HERE LEXINGTON WRITER
The LEXINGTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERELexington.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Lexington, Fayette County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Woodland Art Fair, Crave Food and Music Festival, and Railbird Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like Commerce Lexington and Blue Grass Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in education, manufacturing, and technology that power the local economy such as University of Kentucky, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, and Lexmark. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBowlingGreen.com and HERELouisville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Kentucky's dynamic landscape.
