In the midst of Fourth of July celebrations in 2024, Jose Miguel Ocasio Torres, a 33-year-old Hispanic male, was fatally shot at the Garners Crossing Apartments in Columbia, South Carolina. The Richland County Coroner's Office officially identified Ocasio Torres as the victim of the holiday shooting. The Columbia Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the violent incident that disturbed the community's Independence Day festivities.
The investigation led to the
arrest of 50-year-old Pedro Leon-Rodriguez in connection with the fatal shooting. Authorities have charged Leon-Rodriguez in relation to Ocasio Torres's death. As the case progresses, the Columbia Police Department, in collaboration with the coroner's office, continues its diligent work to bring justice for Jose Ocasio Torres and provide a sense of closure to his grieving family and the wider community.
In the wake of his death, friends, family, and members of the community gathered to remember Jose Miguel Ocasio Torres. A viewing was held at Leevy's Funeral Home Chapel on Taylor Street in Columbia, offering an opportunity for those who knew him to pay their respects and honor his memory.
