USC students raise safety concerns after deadly shooting at off-campus apartment complex

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Non-stop violence in one off-campus housing area—that’s what University of South Carolina students say is causing them to raise safety concerns. This comes after a Saturday shooting killed one person at an apartment complex.

Students tell WIS it’s becoming a norm—Blue and red lights flashing throughout their neighborhood at Redpoint Columbia Apartments located on Southern Drive between Bluff and Shop Roads.

“You have students that don’t feel safe,” said resident Khalil Polly.

Polly said he was home when shots rang out Saturday morning at Redpoint, two buildings down from him. The person who was killed in the shooting has not been identified yet, and Richland County Sheriff’s investigators are still searching for a suspect.

The recent shooting is just one out of several other violent incidents students say they’ve continued to endure.

“Things are just happening every week, and no one is really doing anything about it, so this keeps reoccurring,” said Jaiden Rouse, another Redpoint resident.

One student showed WIS eight different emails management sent to residents, warning them about various violent situations. WIS also obtained Richland County Sheriff Department records that show the extent of violence. Out of 186 calls for service to the apartment complex this year, 18 of those calls involved a gun or a weapon. But after Saturday’s shooting, students say enough is enough.

”I saw the tape and just lost it,” said Desi Brinkley, a Redpoint resident. “There was just police cars and people standing by watching. It was just disgusting. It’s not something that you want to see. It’s not something that you want to have to be used to.”

Polly said more security measures need to be put in place.

“We have two gates, two entrances, two gates that have not worked for the last two years. They’re there for just simply show. It’s a security concern for all students that live here,” he said. “We want to be able to feel safe, and we can’t feel safe in our own community. We can’t be in our home. The last six months have been nothing but pure violence, lack of security, lack of communication from management, and it’s actually just concerning.”

Redpoint Columbia Apartments responded to these concerns with this statement:

Ownership and management of Redpoint Columbia are saddened and disturbed by the reported homicide that took place inside an apartment early Saturday morning, May 31, 2025. Police have recently shared that they believe an invited guest fatally shot another guest inside of a resident’s bedroom.

Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our residents and their guests. Redpoint Columbia provides various security measures, including 24-hour security guard patrols plus an on-site sheriff’s deputy who serves as our courtesy officer, security cameras in specific locations, trackable electronic door locks, criminal background checks on all applicants and a policy prohibiting firearms and other weapons. We also completed a community-wide exterior lighting enhancement in Fall 2024.

We grieve together with the loved ones of the victim in this incident for the senseless loss of life from the unacceptable gun violence that affects us all. We are continuing to cooperate fully with law enforcement in the investigation of this incident and have provided additional focused security measures to help reassure our residents. We are also continuing our collaboration with nearby apartment communities to help ensure security in the surrounding area.

Redpoint Columbia is a student-focused apartment and townhome community that has been home to thousands of residents for more than ten years. It is professionally managed by The Scion Group, the nation’s leading provider of off-campus apartment communities, with a full-time on-site management team.

Redpoint Columbia

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