A shooting at a South Carolina Airbnb left one teenager dead and three others injured as police authorities reported two individuals have been arrested in relation to the incident.
The tragic incident happened at around 5:15 a.m. on Friday inside a house on Lincoln Street near downtown Columbia. During a news conference on Sunday, Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said the first 911 call reported the situation as a car break-in but it was later upgraded.
Airbnb Shooting Leaves Teenager Dead
Holbrook noted that when officers arrived at the two-story house, they quickly encountered what they called an "incredibly chaotic scene with multiple victims." They found four teenagers who were all shot, one of whom was later pronounced dead.
Later, the county coroner identified the fatality as 18-year-old Jayden Brackins with the police chief saying that the three other injuries were identified as two girls and one boy. Holbrook said there were more than 30 shots fired during the incident, according to WBTV.
The police chief added that the shooting crime scene could only be described as a "war zone." Officers who arrived at the scene quickly smelled smoke and gunpowder, noting that the level of destruction they witnessed was "indescribable."
Holbrook revealed that officials have already arrested two individuals in relation to the incident, one of whom was a 15-year-old boy and the other was an 18-year-old identified as Latrell Hughey. The latter has been charged with murder and several other offenses over the shooting.
Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said Brackens said that the victim died from multiple gunshot wounds and nothing else. Now, police are still searching for a third suspect in the case, who is believed to be a 15-year-old boy, WJBF reported.
A Tragic Incident
The house where the shooting occurred is owned by Cornerstone Properties, which has been cooperating with officials in their investigation. Neighbors in the area also said they have had long concerns regarding short-term rentals nearby, which is a separate issue from the shooting.
A similar incident involved 18-year-old Jeremiah Tucker, who was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after fatally shooting a man at a party in an Airbnb in East Memphis. The victim was later identified as Cory Fields.
Officers said the incident occurred at a home in the 5000 block of Flamingo Road just off Mt. Moriah on Monday. The victim was originally found in the driveway with several gunshot wounds before being transferred to a local hospital and being pronounced dead, as per WREG.
