Lexington, SC 02/21/2025 – Friday, Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard’s office announced that Jewayne Price, age 25, of Columbia, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the Columbiana Mall mass shooting. This incident occurred on April 16, 2022, in the Harbison area of Lexington County.
This case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard and Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes. The trial of Jewayne Price was conducted during a two-week period of Lexington County General Sessions Court in October of 2024.
Price was convicted by a Lexington County jury of two counts of Attempted Murder and nine counts of Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. Nine civilian bystanders were injured by gunfire while shopping at the Columbiana Mall on Easter weekend of 2022. The sentence was imposed by Judge Walton J. McLeod IV.
Also convicted in this case was Amari Smith, age 24, of Columbia, who pled guilty in October to Attempted Murder and nine counts of Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature. An additional co-defendant, Marquise Robinson, age 22, of Columbia, was convicted by a Lexington County jury after a separate trial in November of 2024 of nine counts of Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature for his role in the Columbiana Mall mass shooting. Both Smith and Robinson are awaiting sentencing by Judge Walton J. McLeod IV.
Prior to sentencing, the Court heard from numerous victims who were injured by gunfire at the mall, including a 73-year-old female victim who sustained life altering injuries and a 16-year-old teenager who was shot in the back while she was shopping during Spring Break.
On Saturday afternoon, April 16, 2022, Columbiana Mall was filled with employees and patrons, including families with children and infants in strollers. Price arrived at the mall with his girlfriend and was illegally carrying a concealed firearm in his pants. Video surveillance showed Price entering through a main entrance marked with signs prohibiting concealed weapons inside the mall.
Smith and Robinson also entered the mall while carrying concealed weapons in their waistbands. They arrived together and also entered through a main entrance marked with signs prohibiting concealed weapons.
The investigation determined that Smith and Robinson had a pre-existing dispute with Jewayne Price, as a result of the 2018 shooting death of Amon Rice, age 17, in Columbia. The dispute escalated when the parties crossed paths at the mall. Video surveillance showed Price pulling a 9 mm firearm from his clothes aiming it at Robinson, while Robinson and Smith also pulled firearms. Price and Smith exchanged numerous rounds of gunfire which struck nine innocent bystanders. Price, Smith, and Robinson were not injured during the shootout.
The case was investigated by the Columbiana Police Department (CPD) and crime scene investigators. The investigation determined that at least seventeen rounds of ammunition were fired inside the main corridor of the mall near The Gap store. Eleven rounds were matched to Price’s 9 mm Glock pistol. The remaining six rounds were fired by an unrecovered gun in the possession of Smith. Robinson’s .40 caliber firearm was later recovered by law enforcement and one spent shell casing was found in the gun’s chamber.
A Lexington County Sheriff’s Department CSI reconstruction expert determined that three victims were directly injured by Price’s gunfire, including the 73-year-old victim with critical injuries and the 16-year-old victim who was shot in the back.
Following the sentence, 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard commented, “The violent nature of this mass shooting shocked the conscience of our community in Lexington County and negatively impacted many, many lives. We are relieved that the persons responsible have been brought to justice, for the sake of our community and the innocent victims.”
Prior to imposing the sentence, Judge McLeod stated, “A sentence in this case must send a message to anyone who brings this type of violence into a mall or public setting … a sentence that reflects the harm caused that day, by a mass shooting in a mall in our County.”
Price will be transported to the S.C. Department of Corrections to begin immediate service of his sentence.
