Several shooting suspects are on the loose in Columbia. Police consider them armed and dangerous. Two separate shootings took place on Election Day leaving several victims with non-life threatening gunshot wounds. Police are searching for Rashard Bigham, 21. Authorities said Bigham is connected to the shooting in the 3600 block of Sugar Tree Lane on Election Day afternoon. Some neighbors said they plan to move from their neighborhood because of all of violent activity during the past year. Investigators have very few leads. Police believe a long standing feud was the motive for the shootings. They blame uncooperative victims and neighbors for their lack of information.
Officer Latisha Stroer said, “You’ve seen in past arrests when we were getting cooperation, we were making arrests quickly. When we weren’t getting cooperation, it was making the cases slower. We weren’t making arrests as quickly as we should be.”
Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Election Night, suspects in two separate vehicles fired shots at each other near Blue Ridge Elementary School. Since investigators have no suspect or vehicle information about this shooting, they believe it is gang related.
Investigators said one witness told them they saw a dark-colored vehicle at the shootings near Blue Ridge Elementary School. They said that doesn’t help very much because they need more detailed information such as the make and model of the vehicle or even a partial license plate number.
If you have any information about these shootings, police urge you to call their CrimeStoppers anonymous tip line at 573-875-TIPS.
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