Hundreds broke social distance mandates after USC Gamecocks football game, police say
Thousands of fans were allowed into Williams-Brice Stadium last Saturday for the University of South Carolina’s first college football game of the season. Hundreds of others violated COVID-19 social distancing mandates when they gathered in Columbia residences during and after the Gamecocks’ loss, police said.
The Columbia Police Department told The State its officers broke up several parties over the weekend, and most coincided with the football game.
Police said they issued warnings and citations at seven separate locations with large gatherings and loud parties.
Police responded to the largest party shortly after the USC game ended at about midnight. Approximately 300 people were gathered at Reign Living at the Stadium apartment complex at 1105 Shop Road, which is in the shadow of Williams-Brice.
A citation was issued at the recently built complex that caters to USC students and is owned by the Peak Campus real estate company.
A citation was also issued at another residence in a neighborhood populated with USC students. Just before kickoff at 7:30 p.m., police said they broke up a party of about 100 people at a home at 900 Laurens St. That’s in the Five Points area, close to the intersection with Harden Street.
Only a verbal warning was issued for a party about a mile away at 236 South Harden St., according to police. Officers responded about 8:15 p.m. to a gathering of approximately 55 people near the intersection with Rosewood Drive, in an area which is also popular with USC students.
A warning was issued close to halftime, at about 9 p.m., to approximately 20 people gathered at 829 Meadow St., police said. That is also close to the Five Points area and Devine Street.
Following the Gamecocks game, another warning was issued at about 12:45 a.m., according to police. Officers responded to a gathering of about 15-20 people at 1900 Greene St., also located in Five Points, police said.
Minutes later, police said they issued a citation after responding to a residence at 600 Heyward St., where a crowd of about 25 people assembled. That’s the Olympia Mill apartment complex, owned by PMC Property Group, which is also where several USC students live, near Granby Mill, just off of Whaley Street.
Police said they also warned about 20-30 people after responding to a party at 1015 Assembly St. in the early morning hours on Sept. 26. That is the Empire Columbia student housing center, which is owned by Resident Property.
Punishment didn’t stop with residents; property owners also face consequences for every violation.
Each violation resulted in 10 points being issued to the property owners, Columbia police spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons told The State. An accumulation of 15 points or more in a 12-month span could result in a revocation of a rental permit, according to the City of Columbia. Additionally, a $100 fee is assessed for each point accumulated beyond five points.
If a property receives 15 points, the owner can ask for the penalty to be suspended if the tenant has been evicted.
The USC Police Department was notified if students were involved in the violations, Timmons said.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department, which is involved in patrolling USC games, reported a few people were ejected from Williams-Brice for violating USC compliance rules. There were no issues beyond that involving the football game, Deputy Joseph Robinson told The State.
Traffic outside the game was extremely light, and there were no incidents reported by South Carolina Highway Patrol, according to Master Trooper David Jones.
