William Desean Archie, a 25-year-old male, tragically lost his life on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in Columbia, South Carolina, following a shooting that stemmed from an argument at a gas station.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours, before 3 a.m., at a BP Station located at 1005 Fontaine Road. An altercation began when a man, later identified as 29-year-old Dennis Diamond, approached William Archie, who was in a car with a passenger, and asked for a ride.
The request escalated into a verbal and then physical confrontation between Diamond, Archie, and the passenger.
During the fight, Diamond produced a handgun and shot Archie in the lower body. Following the shooting, Archie was driven to his residence on Hillcrest Avenue. From there, he was transported by emergency medical services to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital. Despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead at 4:10 p.m. The Richland County Coroner confirmed that Archie’s death was the result of the gunshot wound.
Law enforcement officials with the Richland County Sheriff's Department investigated the shooting and quickly identified a suspect. Dennis Diamond was arrested without incident on Hughes Street later that same day. He was subsequently charged with the murder of William Archie.
