Business Association, Police Department Plan Town Hall

NORTH COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Since October 1, 2013, the City of Columbia has seen a USC student shot and paralyzed in Five Points. A shooting with critical injuries on Two Notch Road, armed robberies near Five Points, a reported unintentional shooting of a teenager by an alleged known gang member at a local apartment complex. And most recently, two shootings in one weekend a local apartment complex. 

All of these crimes and more have residents speaking out. 

“When we’re talking about crime, it’s not just in Hospitality areas. but, it’s in our neighborhoods and some of our neighborhoods deal with violence every night,” says Sabrina Odom, resident. 

Preventing crime is what drove the North Columbia Business Association to partner with the Columbia Police Department for a town hall meeting. 

“Your’re always going to have crime, but there’s things you can do to prevent crime,” says Tommy Burkett, President and founding member of the North Columbia Business Association.

“Crime is normally committed by someone who doesn’t live in the area and, you know, they’ll come into the area where they think it’s less risky to do things,”says Burkett. 

Burkett says everyone can play a role. 

“If you see something you think that is not right, you got a cellphone… make the call,” says Burkett

Long-time residents like Sabrina Odom, who is also helping coordinate the meeting, says crime affects every Columbia resident not just those living in North Columbia or Eau Claire. 

“Let’s listen to come solutions, let’s listen to some problems, let’s come together and fight crime for our whole city. Because, we all live here,” says Odom. 

The meeting will be held at the Eau Claire Print Building, Tuesday night 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.