Vista Shooting Victim Speaks Out After Maleik Houseal’s Hearing

A preliminary hearing was held for one of the suspects charged in connection with the Vista shooting that injured eight people.

Columbia, SC (WOLO)–  Maleik Houseal was wheeled before a judge who ruled there was sufficient evidence for probable cause, which means Houseal will appear in court again. While in court we heard from an investigator who says Houseal and his brother were the initial targets of the shooting and that surveillance video at Empire Supper Club gives them all the information they need.

“His shooting was in response to initially being shot at, so he will have an initial self-defense claim as he was being shot at first, and returned fire in his own self-defense,” Wayne Hue Montgomery said, a criminal investigator with Columbia Police.

Criminal Investigator Wayne Hue Montgomery says surveillance video shows Houseal take a firearm out from his pants and put it in his jacket pocket before the shooting occurred. Then, Montgomery says after the shooting, the video shows Houseal try to hide the firearm before receiving medical attention on the scene. Montgomery said they recovered the firearm, which is a black 9mm Tanfoglio. The investigator on the stand said they are still waiting on ballistic results from the gun they say Houseal hid before getting medical help for his injuries.  One person sitting in the courtroom listening to Montgomery was Representative Leon Howard.

“I’m here in support of all the victims, not only my nice but all the victims that were involved in the senseless shooting in the Vista,” Howard said. Representative Howard’s niece, Kirstie Logan, was shot in the knee that night outside of Empire Supper Club and she is still trying to come to terms with what happened.

“Sad, I’m not angry… it’s hard… very hard,” Logan said fighting back tears as she described how the shooting has impacted her life. 

Logan is still recovering from the knee surgery she had to have after the shooting. She said she does physical therapy three-times a week.

“It’s been up and down. Some days it’s really good and some days it’s hard mentally and physically,” Kirstie said. 

Logan said she can no longer work, drive, or play with her 5-year-old daughter.

“Well I need assistance with everything I do, sitting down, washing, everything. And I can’t drive, everything has changed,” Logan said. 

“It’s a total life change for all of the victims involved in this senseless act,” Howard said.  

The suspect charged with shooting at Houseal, John Bates Jr., will have his preliminary hearing on Wednesday.