On a Sunday evening in Columbia, South Carolina, the life of 28-year-old Brandon Jamal Blanding was tragically cut short. It was September 2, 2018, when Blanding, a Black/African American male, was shot on South Beltline Boulevard around 8:30 p.m. He was rushed by Richland County EMS to Palmetto Health Richland, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The Richland County Coroner's Office confirmed that the cause of death was gunshot wounds.
Blanding, a resident of Gaston, was remembered as a father to a son who had an amazing sense of humor and a big heart. His family and friends gathered for his funeral services at the Holy Nation Church before he was laid to rest in Lincoln Cemetery.
The Columbia Police Department opened an investigation into the shooting. In the months following the incident, authorities were still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. As of the latest available information, no arrests have been made in connection with Blanding's death, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The case remains an unresolved homicide, leaving a community and a family searching for answers.
