On what was supposed to be a celebration of his 26th birthday, Torence Peoples, a male, tragically lost his life in a violent altercation outside a Columbia, South Carolina nightclub on December 20, 2017. The night of festivities turned fatal in the early morning hours in the parking lot of the Black Pearl on Broad River Road, a club that had gained a reputation for trouble.
The tragic chain of events was reportedly set in motion by a dispute that began inside the club.
An argument erupted over money allegedly stolen from one of the dancers. This disagreement spilled out into the club's parking lot, escalating into a chaotic shootout between two groups of people. In the exchange of gunfire, both Torence Peoples and his 23-year-old brother, Trevonne Judge, were struck by bullets. Both men succumbed to gunshot wounds to their upper bodies and were pronounced dead at the scene by the Richland County Coroner.
In the aftermath of the deadly shooting, investigators from the Richland County Sheriff's Department began the arduous task of piecing together the events of that night. Their investigation led to the arrest of Jumaane Evins, who was charged with larceny for allegedly stealing the dancer's money, the act that is believed to have incited the violence. However, in a significant development, the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office announced that no charges would be filed in the deaths of Torence Peoples and Trevonne Judge. This decision was based on evidence indicating that the shooting was a mutual combat situation, with multiple shots fired from both sides. Authorities confirmed that both Peoples and Judge were in possession of firearms at the time of the incident. The Black Pearl nightclub, which had been the scene of numerous violent incidents prior to the double homicide, was ultimately shuttered and declared a public nuisance by Richland County.
