Shooting Reported At South Carolina State Fair

Richland County deputies expected to make an arrest soon in Saturday night’s shooting of a 15-year-old at the State Fair, Sheriff Leon Lott said late Saturday. Deputies say his condition is unknown, but the teen was conscious and talking to deputies.

According to the Fair General Manager Gary Goodman, the gates were closed Saturday night and no one was allowed to enter the fair when the shooting occurred.

This is believed to be the first shooting at or near the fair since 2004, when three teenagers were wounded as they were leaving the event.

An automated message on the State Fair telephone line says that the fair will reopen on Sunday at noon.

One fair employee told Cola Daily “We are asking people to leave”, but another employee said “We are not evacuating”, and while many people left, others remained on the grounds hours after the shooting, and rides were still operating. The fair was scheduled to reopen at noon Sunday for the last day of its run. “The fair will operate as normal tomorrow”.

We will update this story as information becomes available. Investigators ask if anyone has information to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.