He said he’d shoot officers during Columbia mall standoff. He was just sentenced

The man who barricaded himself in the Columbia Place mall, initiating a standoff with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, was sentenced to prison.

James Jacob Parrish Jr., 36, of North Carolina, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in November, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.

Parrish was arrested after the sheriff’s department was called to the mall on Two Notch Road on March 26, 2017, according to the statement. Shots were reported near the mall, which was closed at the time.

When they arrived, deputies found Parrish’s car with a flat tire along with bullet holes in the glass door at the Sears Automotive Department, according to the statement. Deputies later located Parrish locked in a room.

After negotiations to end the standoff with the armed man failed, the sheriff’s department’s special response team burst in and arrested Parrish, according to the statement. Parrish, who had been threatening to shoot officers, was holding a loaded gun.

While at the hospital, Parrish tried to take a gun from officers on two occasions.

Parrish has an extensive criminal background, including convictions for the following offenses:

• Carrying a concealed firearm (2002)

• Possession of stolen goods (2003)

• Possession of cocaine (2003)

• Sale of cocaine (2003)

• Possession with intent to distribute counterfeit currency (2003)

• Second degree murder

• Second-degree kidnapping

• Attempted robbery with a deadly weapon

• Sale of cocaine (2005)

This story was originally published July 20, 2018 at 11:54 AM.