Two teens arrested after deadly shooting at Columbia, South Carolina Airbnb
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WJBF) — A shooting at an Airbnb in Columbia, South Carolina, left one teenager dead and three others hospitalized.
At a news conference Sunday afternoon, authorities said the shooting happened around 5:15 a.m. Friday. Officers were patrolling the Elmwood Park neighborhood when they got a call about a possible break-in. That call quickly escalated to reports of shots fired — and then to someone being shot.
When officers got to the home on Lincoln Street, they forced their way in after hearing screams inside. 'They immediately encountered an incredibly chaotic scene with multiple victims,' Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook said. 'Four young people shot multiple times.'
Eighteen-year-old Jayden Cavon Brackens died at the scene. 'He died from multiple gunshot wounds and nothing else,' Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford said. 'Please be mindful of what you post on social media. His mom, his family, his community. They're reading these posts that you're putting out that contain false information.'
The three other victims — two 18-year-olds and a 17-year-old — are still in the hospital. All are from the Columbia area.
Police described the scene inside the Airbnb as devastating. 'This shooting crime scene can only be described as a war zone,' Holbrook said. 'The level of destruction caused by the gun and the gunfire was really just indescribable.'
More than 30 shell casings were found from multiple weapons, including an assault-style rifle.
So far, two arrests have been made. A 15-year-old male is facing charges including armed robbery and possession of a weapon during a crime. An 18-year-old has been charged with murder, three counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, and more. His full name was not released.
Police are still looking for a third suspect, another 15-year-old boy. 'We anticipate additional charges and additional arrests,' Holbrook said. 'This investigation is advancing rapidly and effectively.'
Cornerstone Properties owns the house where the shooting happened and was being rented as an Airbnb. Police have issued a notice of intent to declare the property a public nuisance. 'The owner has been ordered to cease operations of the Airbnb immediately,' Holbrook added. 'They've been 100% cooperative.'
Some neighbors say they've long had concerns about short-term rentals in the area. Holbrook said that's a separate issue that the city's code enforcement division may address.
As for motive, police say it's still unclear. 'We have some working theories,' Holbrook said. 'But we do not have a motive that we're in a position to speak on with certainty.'
Anyone with information is asked to contact Columbia Police or call Crime Stoppers.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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