17-year-old boy shot to death in Columbia park

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Police say a 17-year-old boy was shot to death in a Columbia park after a fight during a basketball game.

Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said at a news conference that several people saw the two men who started shooting around 7:30 p.m. Sunday at a park near a middle school, but left before police arrived and have not talked to investigators.

Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says Eric Washington died at the hospital from a gunshot wound to the head. Holbrook says the teen was running to hide when he was hit.

Holbrook says the shooting stemmed from an argument earlier in the day. No arrests have been made.

Washington’s mother came to the news conference and asked witnesses to please talk to police for her son’s sake.