Man hit in head with gun before it went off in Columbia park, police say
A shot rang out at Earlewood Park in the northern part of Columbia on Saturday morning.
The Columbia Police Department is investigating the motivation behind the incident that injured one person at about 7 a.m.
Investigators believe an argument between three acquaintances precipitated the shot being fired.
A person hit a man in the head with a handgun causing the firearm to go off, police said. The bullet grazed the man’s head. After the altercation, the victim was hospitalized with a non-life threatening injury.
The three involved in the argument “don’t have permanent addresses,” according to the department. Police are trying to determine what started the argument.
A department spokesperson said the gunfire was an isolated incident.
The northern part of Columbia where Earlewood Park is located has some of the highest rates of gun violence in the city. Local and national authorities launched an initiative to prevent gun crime in the area in July, and The Columbia Police Department has made a concerted effort to reduce gun violence in that part of the city.
This is a breaking news story. Check back as this will be updated as The State receives more information.
This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 1:09 PM.