Columbia police report one person injured in Five Points shooting incident
The Columbia police department announced that one male was injured in a shooting incident this afternoon on Greene Street in Five Points, according to the department’s Twitter account. The injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.
Police are still investigating video surveillance of the area.
Property damage was found on the scene, according to police. WIS reported that police were called around 4:20 p.m. near the Starbucks and Pita Pit near Harden and Greene streets.
Blood is on the sidewalk outside of the Five Points restaurant. One witness reported their car was hit by two bullets fired by a person who was chasing another person.
Rachel Ponder was in town from Long Beach, California, with her wife visiting a cousin. She was walking to her car and bullets flew past her into her vehicle, she told The State.
“I’m happy we weren’t a minute earlier,” said Ponder. “It would have been a bad family week.”
The bullet went in one door and out the other door of Ponder’s car, which she borrowed from her grandmother. Ponder and her family ran around the corner nearby the Five Points fountain and told pedestrians to take cover, she said.
Other witnesses saw the shooting or heard it and spoke with police at the scene. About a dozen police cars and officers have corded off the area.
Witnesses said they heard between eight and 20 shots fired.
The area is a busy intersection with restaurants, retail and apartments.
“Our funded upgrades for cameras in the area can’t come fast enough. We will be working overtime to get the system properly located,” said Columbia City Councilman Will Brennan. “A daylight incident like this is shocking and CPD is working quickly to gather info.”
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
This story was originally published May 4, 2021 at 5:14 PM.
