West Columbia, SC 07/10/2021 (Paul Kirby) – One man has been arrested after an argument broke out over a parking space at the US Hwy 1 Flea Market near West Columbia Saturday morning. The first 911 calls came in about this around 9:00 a.m.
Lexington County deputies, assisted by officers from the West Columbia Police Department and agents from the SC Law Enforcement Division, rushed to the scene after there were reports that a firearm was being brandished and possibly discharged in the parking area as a result of the disagreement. According to one eyewitness who was watching this unfold, some officers armed themselves with semi-automatic rifles as they worked to ascertain if the scene was safe for themselves and the patrons of the market. That witness said police cars were pouring into the area and he saw more than a dozen either enroute or on the scene.
Another person who was there said that the man tried to escape in a pickup truck. When the driver saw he couldn't maneuver out of the crowded area, he jumped from the vehicle, quickly stripped off his t-shirt, and fled on foot toward some woods. That witness said that other patrons were terrified and some were seeking places to take cover.
According to Captain Adam Myrick of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, one man was arrested for pointing and presenting a firearm. He said that all danger has passed, and the scene was secure by 9:41 a.m. According to one person there, the flea market is open and operating as usual.
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