One arrested after shooting death of 13-year-old on Rice Road
Columbia police arrested one person after the shooting death of a minor, the department said in a news release Sunday.
Just before midnight Saturday, emergency crews were called to the 4400 block of Rice Road for reports of a shooting. Officers found a 13-year-old male with a gunshot wound. The minor was taken to a local trauma center, according to police, where he died around 4 a.m. Sunday.
Cameron White, 19, of Columbia, was arrested on Orchard Lane on charges of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, police say. According to online police records, police arrested White around 8:45 a.m. Sunday.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of this young man who has been taken from them and our community much too early,” Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones said in the statement.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
According to Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark, the victim of the schooting was a student at Oakland Middle School. Baumstark also said there are counselors available for students and staff of the school.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of one of our students last night. Our condolences and thoughts go out to the family and friends of our student. We have notified our Oakland Middle School families and will have counselors available for our students and staff as we all grieve the loss of a young child. The school district is cooperating with law enforcement officials as they continue the investigation into the incident.
The school district is not providing the name of the student at this time as we do not currently have permission from the family to release the name. We ask that you respect the privacy of the family while they grieve and we will provide any additional information if and when it is allowable to do so.
Thank you.”
Police have also investigated other shootings in the same area.
Antonio Lasha Houston, 36, of Columbia and Danielle Beverly-Mae Marine, 33, of Columbia died after a shooting near Rice Road and McKee Street on Sept. 22. Police found Houston and Marine in a yard with gunshot wound when they arrived at the scene.
On Oct. 3, police responded to reports of shots fired in the area of Rice Road and Boyd Lane.
The Columbia Police Department arrested Terrell Marquise Lawrence, 21, and charged him with unlawful use of a weapon, three counts of armed criminal action, two counts of domestic assault, one count of first-degree assault and one count of unlawful gun possession.
There were no injuries reported in that shooting.
Saturday’s shooting makes the eighth shooting homicide in Columbia this year.
Editor’s Note: Immediately following its Sunday afternoon statement regarding the shooting death of a minor, Columbia police issued a correction. The suspect, Cameron White, was arrested on charges first-degree involuntary manslaughter.
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