RCSD arrest alleged gang member for murder

COLUMBIA,S.C. (WOLO) — Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced the arrest of a man wanted in connection to an alleged killing. RCSD investigators arrested Marcel Thompson on August 27 after Thompson turned himself in to the North Charleston Police Department. Investigators transported Thompson back to Richland County Lott said. Sheriff Lott said that just before midnight on, August 24 in the 1800 block of Longcreek Drive deputies responded to a call of shots fired. Upon arrival deputies located a 21-year-old Khalil Harris lying on the ground unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper and lower body. The Sheriff stated that Harris was transported to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital where he was pronounced dead. According to Sheriff Lott, Harris and Thompson were acquaintances, and that they had been hanging out together for the better part of the day. The Sheriff added that the two men became involved in a verbal altercation, at which time Thompson presented a gun and fired multiple shots killing Harris. The Sheriff stated that this incident is believed to have gang ties and could be related to previous incidents in and outside of Richland County. Sheriff Leon Lott stated that gang members will end up in one of two places, either in the cemetery or in jail. Since the July 29 murder in Little Mountain that occurred in Newberry County, and spilled over to Richland County, three gang members are now dead, and four are in jail as a result Lott added. The Sheriff stated that these gang members are punks with guns who don‘t know what they are doing; their mentality is to retaliate, to go after anyone they believe may have snitched on them. Gang members feel that they can go do whatever they want to do, and that the common denominator between them is guns he added. The Sheriff stated that these gang members are not thinking about the consequences and that they don‘t care. Sheriff Leon Lott stated that the Richland County Midlands Joint Gang Task Force (Richland County Sheriff‘s Department, City of Columbia Police Department, and University of South Carolina Police Department) will continue to work this and any other cases involving gang activity. Sheriff Leon Lott stated that we will not allow gangs to operate in the Midlands. The Sheriff added that locating and arresting gang members takes a coordinated effort between law enforcement agencies, and having a Joint Gang Task Force has achieved just that. The Sheriff added that the Midlands Joint Gang Task Force will continue to educate having conducted over 120 presentations in the community, schools, and churches. Sheriff Leon Lott stated that Thompson has been transported to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.