Richland County man charged with murder in Lexington shooting

A Richland County man has been arrested and charged with murder in a fatal shooting in Lexington County this week.

James Joseph Patterson, 23, was taken into custody on Friday and is awaiting bond in the Lexington County Detention Center.

Sheriff’s deputies say Patterson shot and killed William Clark, 38, at a home on the 100 block of South Hampton Avenue in the Red Bank area on Monday night.

“After reviewing the evidence and interviewing witnesses, detectives have concluded Patterson shot a man in the lower body at a home in the 100 block of South Hampton Avenue,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “Patterson got into an argument with people at the home about money and then fired shots.”

Koon credited “substantial leads early on in this case” for Patterson’s arrest. Patterson also faces charges of possessing a weapon during a violent crime.

This story was originally published November 14, 2020 at 8:33 AM.

Bristow Marchant

The State

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Bristow Marchant covers local government, schools and community in Lexington County for The State. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2007. He has almost 20 years of experience covering South Carolina at the Clinton Chronicle, Sumter Item and Rock Hill Herald. He joined The State in 2016. Bristow has won numerous awards, most recently the S.C. Press Association’s 2024 education reporting award.  Support my work with a digital subscription