News Release: Juvenile Charged with Hate Crime Ordinance
- Deputy Jamie Burton
- May 26
- 1 min read
05/26/26
Sheriff Leon Lott announces the arrest of a 13-year-old juvenile charged with the Hate Crime ordinance after being identified during a burglary investigation.
On May 14, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m., deputies responded to a burglary at the 1000 block of Coatesdale Rd. Deputies learned from the witness that he arrived at the vacant residence to check on the property for the owner when he noticed bicycles outside and saw two young male juveniles fleeing from the residence.
Inside the residence, there was extensive property damage including large holes in the walls, a kicked-in rear door, several broken windows, and graffiti spray painted using different offensive messaging in the forms of racial slurs and symbols of antisemitism.
After speaking with additional witnesses, deputies located one juvenile suspect at a nearby residence. The suspect clothing described by the original witness and paint cans were found at the juvenile’s residence while executing a search warrant of the location.
The 13-year-old juvenile was charged with Burglary 3rd Degree, Malicious Injury to Real Property > $2000, and the Hate Crime Ordinance. He was transported to DJJ without incident.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating this incident to identify the second suspect. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call RCSD at 803-576-3000 or submit a tip anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
