Teens charged in Richland County park mass shooting being tried as juveniles

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) gave new information on the charges against two teens in the mass shooting at Meadowlake Park.

RCSD said two 16-year-olds will face 11 counts of attempted murder, possession of stolen weapon, possession of handgun under 18, possession of weapon during a violent crime, and possession of weapon with obliterated serial number.

As of right now, those teens are not being tried as adults, according to the sheriff’s department. However, the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office could make the determination to charge the boys as adults at a later date.

The names of the two boys, who are brothers, will not be made public at this time.

The shooting happened the early morning of April 29 where 11 people ages 16 to 20 were hurt.

Deputies said nine of the victims were shot, including two 11th-grade boys and one 12th-grade girl who attend W.J. Keenan High School, while a 12th-grade girl who attends C.A. Johnson High School was hurt after being hit by a car.

Sheriff Leon Lott said he believed all of the victims will survive.

Lott called the gathering a “flash party” that was trespassing at Meadowlake Park, which was closed at the time of the shooting.

Lott said multiple people wearing masks at the park shot into the crowd and he believed most of the suspects are from the Richland County area.

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