Two inmates died in back-to-back days at same SC prison, officials say

In back-to-back days last week, two inmates held at the same prison in Columbia died, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

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The deaths of both Glenn Richard Brown Jr., and Quintavis Antonio Toomer are being investigated as suspected suicides, S.C. Department of Corrections officials said in news releases.

Both the 35-year-old Brown and 27-year-old Toomer were inmates at Broad River Correctional Institution, according to the releases. That’s at 4460 Broad River Road in Columbia, not far from the junction of I-26 and I-20.

There was no word that there was any connection between the deaths — other than that both men were inmates at the same prison and the timing.

On Aug. 26, Brown was found unresponsive in his cell and died at Broad River Correctional Institution, officials said. On Aug. 27, Toomer was unresponsive when he was discovered inside his cell at the prison where he died, according to the release.

Neither Brown nor Toomer had a cellmate, officials said.

No causes of death have been announced, but officials said that autopsies will be performed.

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Both deaths are being investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Richland County Coroner’s Office and the S.C. Department of Corrections Inspector General’s office.

Broad River Correctional Institution is a male-only close (high-security) and medium-security facility “designed primarily to house violent offenders with longer sentences, and inmates who exhibit behavioral problems,” according to the S.C. Department of Corrections.

Toomer was serving a 15-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to a robbery charge in 2017, Charleston County court records show.

In 2022, Brown was convicted on burglary charges in Berkeley and Charleston counties, as well as a strong-armed robbery charge in Charleston County, and was serving 10-year prison sentences on each conviction, according to court records.