Men killed in shootings outside of bars identified by Richland County coroner
Two men were killed Sunday in separate early morning shootings that happened outside of bars in Columbia, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
“There is currently no indication that these two incidents are connected,” the sheriff’s department said in a news release.
The first shooting happened at about 5 a.m., according to the release. Deputies responded to a shots fired call at Vault Nightclub, at 3106 Broad River Road, the sheriff’s department said. That’s in a strip mall near the intersection with St. Andrews Road.
When they arrived, deputies found a man who had been shot lying on the ground in the parking lot, according to the release. The victim was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s department said.
The man was identified as Dennis Taylor, a 39-year-old Columbia resident, according to Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford.
About an hour later, the second shooting happened 9 miles away outside of Felicity’s Bar & Grill, at 7708 Fairfield Road, according to the release.
Deputies were responding to a call about a shooting and found a man who had been hit by gunfire lying on the ramp leading up to the business, the sheriff’s department said. The second victim was also taken to an area hospital where he died from his injuries, according to the release.
That man was identified as 28-year-old Columbia resident Basile Darby, according to the coroner’s office.
No other injuries were reported in either shooting. There was no word if the bars/night clubs were still open when the shootings happened.
While the sheriff’s department said it does not believe the fatal shootings are related, it did say that investigators do not believe there is a threat to the community.
There was no word on the gunmen involved in either shooting, or a motive for the shootings.
No arrests have been reported by the sheriff’s department, which is continuing to investigate both deaths.
Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
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This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 8:24 AM.
