Man goes on paintball shooting spree around Richland County, sheriff says
A man is in custody following three separate incidents where he either pointed or shot a paintball gun at unsuspecting victims around Columbia, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Nasir Champion, 18, was charged with three counts of assault and battery in the 1st degree and breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature after engaging in a string of assaults with a paintball gun, according to a news release.
The first shooting was reported Wednesday around 10:15 a.m. when deputies found a male victim who had been hit in the upper body by a paintball gun in the 10,000 block of Two Notch Road, the release said.
While still attending to the first victim, deputies were notified of another incident that occurred at a bus stop at the intersection of Fashion Drive and Forum Drive. There, a female victim told deputies that someone — later identified as Champion — had pointed a paintball gun at her but did not fire, according to the release.
Following that, deputies received a third call regarding a shooting at the intersection of Two Notch Road and Spears Creek Church Road, where another male victim had been struck in the upper body by a paintball gun.
With the help of the victims, deputies put out a description of the then-unknown shooter and his vehicle, which was later stopped by investigators on Sparkleberry Lane near Valhalla Drive, the release said.
Champion was taken into custody and booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
