‘Bad way to start off the new year,’ SC sheriff says of 2 shootings on same day
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott shared information Sunday afternoon about two shootings that happened in South Carolina Saturday.
“It’s a bad way to start off the new year,” Lott said during a Sunday afternoon news conference regarding the gunfire that led to one man getting injured and an arrest in the other shooting.
One shooting incident
Saturday’s second shooting happened at night. It was about 9 p.m. when deputies responded to a home invasion on King Arthur Court in Columbia, according to the sheriff’s department. The home invasion suspect, identified as 45-year-old Antoine Mobley, had left the King Arthur Court residence, but deputies learned he was out on bond from a previous arrest and was wearing an ankle monitor, the sheriff’s department said.
Armed with that information, deputies located Mobley at a vacant home in the 200 block of Westbridge Road, where he had barricaded himself inside one of the rooms, according to the sheriff’s department. That’s two blocks from the King Arthur Court home, and is in a part of Columbia between Two Notch Road and Interstate 77.
Deputies tried to get Mobley to peacefully exit, but he responded with threats to kill them and to burn the house down with deputies inside, the sheriff’s department said. While deputies attempted to talk to Mobley, he opened the door and threw an object that he had set on fire at K-9 Specialist Cody Sox, according to the sheriff’s department.
Lott said the object was a basketball-sized fireball, and Sox responded by firing one shot at Mobley.
Negotiators were called to the home and unsuccessfully tried to communicate with Mobley, the sheriff’s department said. Mobley threatened to use multiple gallons of gasoline on the fire, according to the sheriff’s department.
That’s when deputies used gas to force Mobley out of the home, Lott said.
Although Mobley exited, he tried to retreat back in the home, according to the sheriff’s department. Department K-9 Nevada was then released and was able to apprehend Mobley, who was then taken into custody, the sheriff’s department said.
Mobley was then taken to an area hospital to be treated for a dog bite, and it was confirmed Sox’s shot did not hit the wanted man, according to Lott.
Sox has been with the sheriff’s department for 11 years and has been partners with Nevada for four years, the sheriff’s department said.
No other injuries were reported.
Criminal charges
Mobley will be charged with attempted murder, first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary and breach of peace (of a high and aggravated nature), when he’s released from the hospital, according to the sheriff’s department.
As of Sunday afternoon, Mobley was not listed on the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center’s jail roster.
Lott said that Mobley has a previous criminal record. That includes:
- Two assault & battery (of a high and aggravated nature) convictions
- Three second-degree burglary convictions
- A simple assault charge
- A domestic violence charge
- Three parole revocations
- Criminal sexual assault and kidnapping charges from a 2024 incident where he was arrested by the Columbia Police Department and ordered to wear the ankle monitor
- A Dec. 5, 2025 incident where he was arrested by the sheriff’s department and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest
The other shooting
In Saturday’s earlier incident, one man was hurt when he was shot during a barrage of 29 bullets fired in just minutes, according to the sheriff’s department.
At about 5:40 p.m., deputies responded to ShotSpotter reports of gunfire at an apartment complex in the 500 block of Alcott Drive, the sheriff’s department said.
Lott said he believes that the 24-year-old man will survive his injuries.
No arrests have been reported by the sheriff’s department, which is continuing to investigate the shooting. Lott said deputies are closing in on the suspects.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the sheriff’s department at 803-576-3000, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
In the case of an emergency, always call 911.
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This story was originally published January 4, 2026 at 2:37 PM.
