Richland County sheriff: Gangs are in Columbia bar

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) âone space€one space” Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says he sent his deputies to Columbia’s bar district and found out the area has a serious gang problem. Lott says he sent both uniformed and undercover officers to Columbia’s Five Points on Oct. 26. He says the officers found a number of gang members hanging out at a bar called The Library and other people hanging out looking for fights or to rob people. The sheriff says he didn’t tell Columbia Police about his plans. But interim Columbia Police Chief Ruben Santiago says he will talk to deputies and adopt some of their techniques. The owner of The Library says his bar is safe and he is being targeted because he is the only bar in the area that caters to African-Americans.