In Columbia, South Carolina, a dispute that began with a robbery escalated into deadly violence, claiming the life of 36-year-old Marvin D. Archie. The fatal encounter unfolded on the evening of Thursday, April 11, 2024, in the 100 block of Angel Garden Way, near Decker Boulevard. Deputies from the Richland County Sheriff's Department responded to a call of shots fired in the housing community at approximately 7 p.m.
Upon arrival, they discovered a tragic scene with two individuals, Archie and 16-year-old Jayden Scales-Amiker, suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was not a random act of violence but the culmination of events that started a day earlier. On April 10, a minor was robbed of his personal belongings near a Food Lion grocery store on Decker Boulevard by four other juveniles. The following day, the robbery victim's father, Marvin Archie, along with several others, was involved in a confrontation related to that incident. During this altercation, a 14-year-old male, who was an acquaintance of Scales-Amiker, allegedly opened fire.
Authorities believe the 14-year-old suspect was armed with a pistol that had been illegally modified with a switch to make it fully automatic. It is believed that he shot and killed Archie, who was reportedly unarmed. Investigators also suspect that due to the modification of the weapon, the shooter lost control and accidentally shot his own friend, Jayden Scales-Amiker. The 14-year-old suspect also sustained a gunshot wound to his lower body during the incident and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Following his medical clearance on the subsequent Monday, the 14-year-old was arrested and taken to the juvenile wing of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He faces serious charges, including two counts of murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and possession of a handgun by a person under the age of 18. Due to his age, his identity has not been publicly released by the sheriff's department. The incident was described by law enforcement as an isolated event.
