Columbia, SC Walmart Scuffle Ends in Shooting and Drug Charge
Well-Known City Landmark Becomes Scene of Crime
On Sunday night, an altercation at a Walmart Supercenter located in Columbia, South Carolina, resulted in a shooting and a drug charge. The incident happened around 9 p.m., as per the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The law enforcement officers were alerted about a possible shooting on Killian Road.
Evidence Collection and Initial Foundings
The Sheriff’s department, upon arriving at the scene, located a vehicle filled with bullet holes on the driver’s side. They also discovered a Glock pistol right outside the bullet-ridden vehicle. Telltale signs of what could have transpired were adding up as the officers proceeded with their investigation.
Officers then discovered two bags of an unidentified green plantlike material—one on the passenger side floorboard and another adjacent to the car door.
Victims and Injuries
The officers happened upon a male victim, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his forearm. The gunshot wound, though significant, was deemed non-life threatening by medical professionals. The wounded individual was identified as Matthew Hermz, a 24-year-old man who was involved in the altercation. After being medically cleared from the local hospital where he was treated, Hermz was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
A second victim, whose association with the incident at Walmart was established after they arrived at a local hospital, was also reported. The condition and cause of this victim’s injuries are currently unclear, and no additional information was available. It was not further disclosed if this individual was a victim of the shooting.
Charges and Court Details
Matthew Hermz was charged with first-degree manufacturing/possession other substance schedule I II III with intent to distribute—a controlled substance charge. A judge set his bond at $2,500. Hermz is currently held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, and he is due to reappear in court on September 27. Despite being a resident of Michigan, Hermz is considered a detainee in South Carolina based on the detention center’s jail records.
Ongoing Investigation
The Sheriff’s department is yet to release additional information about the specifics of the shooting, such as the number of involved people and the exact whereabouts of the gunfire. The origin and incentive of the altercation, whether it was confined to the Walmart parking lot, or if gunfire had erupted elsewhere on the property or inside the store also remain nebulous. The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is actively probing these questions.
Prior Incidents
This Sunday’s events mark the latest incident in a series of violent altercations at Columbia’s Walmart Supercenter at 321 Killian Road. In October 2023, a road rage incident culminated in a brawl inside the Supercenter. Similarly, an attempted large-scale theft by an armed suspect took place in April 2017.
Call for Public Help
As part of the ongoing investigation into the recent shooting, the authorities have called for the public’s help. Any individual with information about the shooting at the Walmart Supercenter on Killian Road is encouraged to contact the sheriff’s department directly.
The story of this unfortunate incident continues to unfold, and further updates will be provided as more information comes to light.
