Shooting at Columbia car dealership triggers events leading to two deaths, SC police say
Two people were killed Monday during a chain reaction of events set off by a shooting at a car dealership in Columbia, South Carolina officials said.
One of the victims was shot at the JTs Kia car dealership at 180 Greystone Blvd., according to the Columbia Police Department. The other person who died was involved in a collision with a police officer who was responding to the shooting, the South Carolina Highway Patrol said.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office identified 39-year-old Graham Pope as the shooting victim from the car dealership, according to police.
The coroner’s office has not publicly identified the victim who died in the crash.
Police got involved in the series of events at about 3 p.m., when officers responded to a report of a shooting at the car dealership near the intersection with Broad River Road.
“(A) male suspect drove away from the scene, taking officers on a police pursuit through downtown,” police said.
The man, later identified as 28-year-old Westley Gross, was arrested after he crashed into a backyard of a home in the 2200 block of Shady Lane, according to police. That’s about nine miles from the car dealership.
Gross is also accused of hitting multiple vehicles as he attempted to getaway and led the chase, according to police.
In a separate collision, a Columbia police officer who was responding to the shooting was involved in a crash, police said. That wreck happened at the intersection of U.S. 21/North Main Street and Prescott Road, according to police. That’s about 5 miles from the car dealership.
At about 3:15 p.m., the officer was driving a patrol vehicle south on U.S. 21, and at the intersection collided with a 2023 Toyota sedan that was heading east on Prescott Road, said Lance Cpl. Nick Pye of the Highway Patrol.
Both drivers were taken to an area hospital, where the Toyota driver died, according to Pye.
The officer suffered a leg injury, police said. Further information on the officer’s condition was not available.
Information about what caused that collision was not available, and there was no word if either driver was wearing a seat belt, or if the patrol vehicle had its blue lights turned on.
The Highway Patrol is investigating both the fatal collision as well as the crashes Gross is accused of causing during the chase.
The shooting continues to be investigated by police.
There was no word on a motive for the shooting, or if Gross and Pope knew each other prior to the gunfire.
Gross was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center where he was charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, police said. Gross was also charged with failure to stop for a blue light, according to Richland County court records.
No bond has been set and Gross remains behind bars, jail records show.
This is not the first time Gross has been charged with a violent crime.
On Feb. 8, 2023, the Columbia resident was charged with breach of peace (aggravated in nature) in addition to pointing and presenting firearms at a person, court records show. Gross was released after a $10,000 bond was posted Feb. 9, 2023, and those charges are pending, according to court records.
