Gun violence among teens, young adults rising in the Midlands

RICHLAND CO., S.C. (WOLO): Gun violence among teenagers and young adults is becoming more prevalent in the Midlands. 

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigating at least 3 fatal shootings involving young people in the last 2 weeks. 

Early Sunday morning, 19-year-old David Green was found shot to death on Lawhorn Road. That tragedy marked 15 murders in the county in 2021, many of which involved teenagers and young adults.

Sheriff Leon Lott said, “it’s a different attitude with our young people now than I think of what I’ve ever seen in my career and it’s scary.”

Sunday’s fatal shooting comes after two more all just a couple weeks apart. Two 17-year-olds were charged with murder in the death of an 18-year-old high school student on May 28th. On May 21st, a 21-year-old died with a gunshot wound to his upper body. 

“It’s young people who just don’t care about life. The remorse that we see is remorse that they got caught, not that they killed somebody or took a life. I got caught, that’s what they’re remorse about,” said Lott. 

Sheriff Lott says he’s seen gun violence among teens and young adults gradually increase over the years. This time last year, the county saw 12 deaths compared to the now 15 in 2021. Founder of the Put Down the Guns now Young People Organization Jack Logan hopes teens will let faith turn them away from gun violence. 

“If we can prevent a mother from going to the hospital or a mortuary looking down on her son, then we don’t have to worry about another mother going to a penitentiary for the rest of her life,” said Logan. 

“It’s not a law enforcement problem, it’s a community problem. Everybody’s got to be doing more. We got to teach our young people the dangers of a gun and also respect for human life,” said Lott. 

Meanwhile, the Columbia Police Department has investigated 12 homicides this year, mostly shootings. One of which involved two victims- 15 and 17-years-old. Officials say their average age of shooting victims is 21, with all of them being African-American men.