14-year-old charged with double murder following shooting, Richland County sheriff says

A 14-year-old was charged with two counts of murder and other crimes days after two people were killed in a shooting in Columbia, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

The sheriff’s department has not publicly identified the 14-year-old because of his age.

A man and another teenager died in the April 11 shooting that happened in the 100 block of Angel Garden Way, the sheriff’s department said Tuesday in a news release. That’s near Decker Boulevard.

The Richland County Coroner’s Office said 35-year-old Marvin D. Archie and 16-year-old Jayden Scales-Amiker were the victims.

The shooting was the result of a confrontation that occurred because of a robbery the night before, according to the release.

At about 7 p.m. on April 10, four juveniles robbed another minor of his personal items near the Food Lion grocery store in the 2300 block of Decker Boulevard, the sheriff’s department said. That’s about half a mile from where the fatal shooting occurred.

On April 11, the robbery victim’s father, later identified as Archie, and several others were engaged in an altercation, according to the release. The sheriff’s department said it believes the 14-year-old was armed with a pistol that had been illegally modified with a switch so that it was fully automatic.

The 14-year-old shot and killed Archie as well as Scales-Amiker, who was one of the teen’s friends, according to the sheriff’s department. Because of the modification to the gun, deputies said they believe the 14-year-old lost control and accidentally shot Scales-Amiker.

The 14-year-old also was shot, in the lower body, and was transported from the scene to a local hospital, according to the release.

His wound also might have been the result of an accident, as the sheriff’s department told The State that they believe that only the 14-year-old was armed with a pistol. That includes Archie, who was not believed to have been armed with a weapon, according to the sheriff’s department.

The 14-year-old was treated at an area hospital, and when he was medically cleared Monday, he was arrested and booked into the juvenile wing of Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, the sheriff’s department said.

The 14-year-old was charged with two counts of murder, in addition to possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a handgun under 18, according to the release.

He, along with two other 16-year-olds, were also charged multiple crimes stemming from the April 10 robbery, the sheriff’s department said. The teenagers involved in that incident were charged with armed robbery, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a handgun under 18, and kidnapping, according to the release.

Scales-Amiker was the fourth teen suspected of being involved in the April 10 robbery, the sheriff’s department said.

Despite the arrests, the sheriff’s department said it’s continuing to investigate the shooting.

Anyone who might have been at the shooting, or has knowledge of the gunfire, is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.