In the early evening of a Tuesday in Columbia, South Carolina, the life of 23-year-old Blake Austin McGrath was cut short in a violent confrontation. On January 14, 2025, at the Colony Apartments on Bailey Street, McGrath was fatally shot in the upper body. The Columbia Police Department responded to ShotSpotter alerts around 6:53 p.m. and discovered McGrath at the scene, where he was pronounced dead by emergency medical services.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to a
suspect, 29-year-old William Jiles. In a turn of events, officers learned that a second individual, who was transported to a local hospital with a gunshot wound, was the alleged perpetrator. Police determined that Jiles had confronted McGrath, leading to the fatal shooting. Following his release from the hospital, Jiles was taken into custody and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. He was subsequently booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. The fatal encounter was reportedly the result of a violent confrontation between the two men.
This was not the first time the Colony Apartments had been the scene of violence, with residents expressing concerns about their safety following this and another shooting that occurred a day prior. Blake Austin McGrath, originally from Myrtle Beach, had a previous encounter with law enforcement. In 2021, at the age of 19, he was arrested in Lexington County and charged with armed robbery, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime after he attempted to rob a cab driver who was taking him to Myrtle Beach.
