Press Conferences

06/30/26 Sheriff Leon Lott announces arrests made during longstanding investigation at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. On April 14, 2026, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department was sent 62 cases that had been withheld by the jail; some incidents occurred as far back as December 2025. The incidents included a sexual assault, contraband, riots, vandalism and assaults of both guards and inmates as victims of these crimes. The first case that prompted further probing was t

06/23/26 Sheriff Leon Lott announces the arrest of Azavius Jones (24; DOB: 10/04/01) in reference to the June 14th mass shooting at Jerk Hut. On June 22, 2026, RCSD’s Fugitive Task Force and Special Response Team located Jones at a location in Bennettsville where he was attempting the evade law enforcement. Jones was taken into custody on his nine warrants without incident. Jones is charged with Murder, five counts of Attempted Murder, Discharging a Firearm Into a Structure,

06/12/26 Sheriff Leon Lott provides additional information on the shootings that occurred on June 4th, in the northeast side of Richland County; leading to a shoot-out with deputies and one man dead. On June 4, 2026, around 12:15 am, “Team B” does a drive-by shooting of “Team A” at the 200 block of Sagamare Road. Team A then gathers at the 300 block of Legend Oaks. Around 1:50 a.m. Team A does a retaliatory shooting of Team B at the 400 block of Spring Oak Lane and return t

06/04/26 Sheriff Leon Lott discusses several early morning shootings that lead to deputies returning fire following a K9 track. Today, June 4, 2026 just after midnight, deputies were dispatched to a shooting incident at the 200 block of Sagamare Road. Patrol deputies contacted the residents at that location, no individuals were injured but the house and vehicles had been struck multiple times by gun fire. A short time later, approximately 1:50 a.m. deputies were dispatched to

05/12/26 Sheriff Leon Lott announces the arrest of Corey Gibbons (44; DOB: 09/21/81) and stresses the importance of SROs in schools following the shooting incident that occurred at Horrell Hill Elementary School on the afternoon of May 11, 2026. On May 11, 2026, at approximately 1:15 p.m., the SRO of Horrell Hill Elementary School was patrolling the area of the school to ensure the safety of students when a vehicle began to follow her. The vehicle continued to fo

05/10/26 The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a shooting involving a Forest Acres police officer at Relapse Bar & Grill located at 5024 Two Notch Rd. On May 10, 2026, at approximately 3:30 a.m., a Forest Acres police officer heard gun shots coming from the area of Two Notch Rd. near Relapse Bar & Grill. Another Forest Acres officer began to circulate the 5000 block of Two Notch Rd. when a vehicle driving erratically almost struck the officer’s vehicle. Th