Shooting leaves one man dead and another behind bars, Columbia police say
One man is dead and another is in jail following a Saturday night shooting in South Carolina, according to the Columbia Police Department.
Xavier T. Bethea, 28, was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center at about 9:15 p.m., according to police.
Bethea had been arrested at the scene of the shooting, in the 1100 block of Hampton Street, police said in a news release. That’s in downtown Columbia, in the area between Finlay Park and the South Carolina State House.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting where they found Bethea and a man who had been shot, according to the release. The victim died at the scene, police said.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office has not publicly identified the victim.
No other injuries were reported.
Police said that Bethea and the victim were involved in a verbal altercation. Bethea then pulled out a gun, striking and killing the other man, according to the release.
The shooting was an isolated incident stemming from an ongoing dispute, police said. Further information about how the men knew each other and the nature of the dispute was not available.
The shooting happened near the Oliver Gospel Mission homeless shelter, which was listed as Bethea’s address, police records show.
Bethea was charged with voluntary manslaughter and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, police said. He was not charged with murder.
No bond has been set for Bethea, who remains behind bars, jail records show. Following a bond hearing, Bethea is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 25, according to Richland County judicial records.
Despite the arrest, police are continuing to interview witnesses and collect any evidence, according to the release.
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