Community voice safety concerns at Richland County town hall

RICHLAND COUNTY,SC (WOLO)- Crime and violence at the forefront during a town hall meeting in Richland County.

“We don’t need young people dying, and that’s what’s happening,”Mayor of Arcadia lakes, Mark Huguley said.

People who live in Richland County came out in numbers Monday night to tell county and state leaders they need to step it up to keep the communiyu safe.

“Noise problems with racing through Arcadia Lakes and we hear gunshots all around there,” Huguley said.

“It’s getting to a point where something has got to be done,” John McClenic, Northeast resident said. “The citizens over there don’t see anything happening.”

Some people asked law enforcement to increase their presence at Nightclubs on Decker Boulevard and surrounding areas. But Sheriff Leon Lott says that is not the problem.

“What’s discouraging to me is the last shooting on Decker a Sheriff’s deputy was parked across the street and it still didn’t stop it,” Lott said. “That shows the mentality that people got with guns. They don’t care.”

What Lott says is the bigger problem are businesses advertising as restaurants and turning into night clubs and strip clubs. Like Kandyland, which recently had it’s liquor license revoked. And Faces Lounge, where five people were shot on new years day.

Sheriff Lott says he wants businesses like these closed for good.

“We have to close them down,” Lott said. “That’s what I’m asking for, is help getting them closed down.”

Some club owners say not every business on Decker has problem with gun violence.

However Lott will need the green light from county council to move forward with closing the businesses that create problems.

“We’ve got a few problem places if we can address those and keep other problem places from opening then we can get this community back to where it needs to be,” Lott said.