E’Nicholas Leake, 27, wanted in an Anderson County killing, fled into the Strom Thurmond Wellness Center before deputies arrested him, authorities say.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A murder suspect wanted out of Anderson County was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after a pursuit ended on the campus of the University of South Carolina, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Anderson County deputies identified the suspect as 27-year-old E’Nicholas Leake. He’s charged with murder in the shooting death of 21-year-old Jamyuz Bennett.
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Richland County Deputies said the sheriff’s department responded at the request of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on Wednesday to the area of Harbison Boulevard and Interstate 26 regarding a wanted fugitive believed to be traveling through the area.
Authorities said law enforcement located the suspect and attempted a vehicle stop at I-26 and U.S. 378, also known as Sunset Boulevard, but the suspect did not stop, prompting a pursuit into downtown Columbia.
Officials said the chase ended at Blossom and Assembly streets, where the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department pitted the suspect, and the suspect’s vehicle crashed, according to the Columbia Police Department and the University of South Carolina.
“It was crazy,” said USC student Jason Wilson, who was walking to the Wellness Center when the police chase stopped on Blossom Street. “I’ve never seen anything like that, and I was like go get him,” Wilson added when seeing the chase.
Deputies said the suspect then got out of the car and into the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, the on-campus workout facility at USC. After a brief foot pursuit, deputies said the suspect was apprehended inside the building.
“I saw about five cops come in, so I thought it was something minor,” said USC senior Mason Harrison. “Then about ten more came in and five more, and about a forth of them had dogs so I knew it was something major.”
Harrison said he was playing basketball when officers entered the building and apprehended the suspect in one of the facility’s rooms.
“It wasn’t like a feeling of fear,” he said. “It was kind of confusion and interest in what was really happening.”
Earlier, a Carolina Alert warned of a public safety incident at Blossom and Assembly and advised people to avoid the area as roads were partially blocked.
While no injuries were reported, the incident raised concerns among some students who said they did not receive a Carolina Alert notification during the situation.
“Typically Carolina sends out a text message that says there’s something happening on campus and to take precautions,” said freshman Braden Budd. “We got nothing this morning.”
University officials say that the decision was intentional.
According to USC Director of News and Communications Collyn Taylor, a message was posted on social media around 4:05 p.m., but a campus-wide emergency text was not sent because the situation was resolved quickly.
“By the time a Carolina Alert would have gone out, the suspect had already been apprehended and there was no immediate threat,” Taylor said. “There was no need for a text because students, faculty, and staff did not need to change their behavior.”
The situation all began a day earlier when Anderson County deputies responded to the area of Nelson Drive and River Street, where they discovered a wrecked car with multiple bullet holes. Anderson deputies say Leake began chasing Bennett from a gas station near the intersection of State Highway 413 and State Highway 252 (Honea Path Highway). During the chase, deputies say Leak fired multiple shots into Bennett’s car, hitting Bennett in the head. Two people who were also inside the car survived and were able to escape from the area.