COLUMBIA, S.C. — Outside of a Columbia mall, Raquel Eaddy’s hands trembled to the point that she couldn’t call her mom to tell her she was okay after running from gunfire.
On Saturday, at least one gunman opened fire at Columbiana Centre mall in the Harbison area of Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, the Columbia Police Department said. Twelve people were hurt in the shooting and the chaos that followed. Ten of those people were hit by bullets, and another two were hurt as people raced for exit doors. Two of the shooting victims were in critical but stable condition, the department said. The police had three “people of interest” detained.
Witnesses described what had been a joyful day inside the mall with pleasant shopping, dining in the food court, enjoying their time with colleagues and children getting photos taken with the Easter bunny. Then the atmosphere turned to madness as shots reverberated through hallways and stores.
