Carjacking and kidnapping connected to crash in downtown Columbia, police say

A Monday morning carjacking was connected to a car crash in South Carolina that caused injuries, according to the Columbia Police Department.

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At about 8 a.m., officers responded to reports of a carjacking and kidnapping the 1300 block of Sumter Street, police said Tuesday in a news release. That’s in downtown Columbia, about a block from the South Carolina State House.

At the same time, officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of Gervais Street for a crash that caused injuries, according to the release. That’s about a quarter mile from where the carjacking was reported.

Police said they believe the two incidents are directly related.

One individual involved has been taken into police custody and will be charged upon release from an area hospital, according to the release. The remaining individuals involved are receiving medical treatment, police said. Further information on their conditions was not available.

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Police said they are not searching for anyone else suspected to be connected with the incidents, which they called isolated. But police said they’re still investigating.

“This was a serious incident that demanded an immediate and coordinated response from our officers and our public safety partners,” Chief Skip Holbrook said in the release. “… There is no ongoing threat to the public, and our officers remain committed to protecting everyone who lives, works, and visits downtown Columbia. We appreciate the community’s patience as investigators continue their work.”