Man with stolen gun carjacked multiple vehicles before shooting, SC sheriff says
A man was taken into custody Saturday following a crime spree in multiple South Carolina counties that involved a series of carjackings and a shooting, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Steven Townsend, 32, will face armed robbery and possession of a weapon during a violent crime charges in Richland County, the sheriff’s department said in a news release. Townsend is expected to face additional charges, but it was not clear if those will be in Richland County, or from law enforcement agencies in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, where Townsend was also involved in incidents Saturday, according to the release.
It was about 7 a.m., when Richland County deputies became involved as they responded to a report of a carjacking in the 200 block of Blythewood Road, the sheriff’s department said. That’s in a part of Blythewood, between U.S. 21/Main Street and I-77, that’s densely packed with restaurants near a residential area. It’s close to Blythewood High School.
A victim told deputies that they were carjacked at gunpoint by Townsend, who got into the stolen Lexus and sped off, according to the release. The victim said that a man wearing a red jacket and a red glittery mask, later identified as Townsend, got out of a Toyota car and pointed a pistol at them before taking the Lexus keys and speeding away, according to an incident report.
Deputies were able to quickly locate the disabled vehicle after it had been abandoned near the 1600 block of Beltline Boulevard, about 20 miles from where the Lexus was stolen, but Townsend was already gone, the sheriff’s department said. Smoke and fluids were coming out of the stolen Lexus that deputies believed had hit something, according to the incident report.
Deputies then learned that a person matching the description of Townsend had jumped out of the stolen Lexus and stole a second vehicle, a Ford Escape, according to the release. Deputies located the gun that Townsend is accused of using in the carjacking of the Lexus, and discovered that the weapon had been reported stolen out of Union County, North Carolina, the sheriff’s department said.
Deputies released a BOLO for Townsend and the Ford Escape to surrounding law enforcement agencies, according to the sheriff’s department. At about 9:30 a.m., deputies were told by members of the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office that they had found the stolen the abandoned Ford Escape and located Townsend in a third stolen vehicle, according to the release
Townsend briefly escaped from Orangeburg County deputies before he was involved in a shooting, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
An Orangeburg County deputy was on patrol and saw a man driving a Ford Mustang that was reported stolen, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The man was later identified as Townsend.
Townsend led law enforcement on a chase in Orangeburg County, before he crossed over to Calhoun County where he crashed into a tree in the St. Matthews area, SLED said.
Townsend got out of the stolen car and attacked the deputy, then tried to get into the deputy’s vehicle, according to SLED. That’s when the deputy shot Townsend, SLED said.
Townsend was airlifted to an area hospital where he’s in stable condition and is in the custody of Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. As of Monday, SLED said that Townsend remained hospitalized, but further information about his condition was not available.
The deputy also was injured during the attack and taken to an area hospital for treatment, according to SLED. The deputy has since been released from the hospital, SLED said.
Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said the deputy involved in the shooting was in “OK” condition , WLTX reported. .
Messages left with the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s office were not immediately returned.
No other injuries were reported.
There was no word about why Townsend was originally in Richland County, or a motive for the carjackings and where he was intending to go in the stolen vehicles.
The incidents continue to be investigated, with SLED investigating the shooting at the request of the sheriff’s offices in both Orangeburg and Calhoun counties.
This was the 42nd time in 2025 that a law enforcement officer in South Carolina was involved in a shooting, according to SLED.
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This story was originally published November 16, 2025 at 8:20 AM.
