In the early morning hours of June 11, 2023, a dispute in the parking lot of the Vault Nightclub on Broad River Road in Columbia, South Carolina, ended in the tragic death of 39-year-old Dennis Terrell Taylor. Responding to a call of shots fired at approximately 5 a.m., Richland County Sheriff's deputies discovered Taylor in the parking lot with a gunshot wound.
He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Known to his friends and family as “DT,” Dennis Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, on May 21, 1984. He was a graduate of Lanier High School in his hometown and later became an active and beloved member of the Columbia community. He was known for his dedication to service, participating in back-to-school drives, feeding the homeless, and Thanksgiving turkey giveaways. Taylor was a member of the Masonic Corinthian Lodge #11 and the Chi Iota Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi, Incorporated. He was a father and was regarded by many as a loyal friend and protector.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Taylor had been involved in an argument with 21-year-old Taylor Morris and her friend. According to the Richland County Sheriff's Department, the altercation escalated when Taylor threatened the two individuals and retrieved a rifle from his truck. At that point, Morris shot Taylor.
Following an investigation, the Richland County Sheriff's Department ruled the shooting as a case of justified self-defense. Consequently, Taylor Morris did not face charges for the death of Dennis Taylor. However, Morris was charged with unlawful carry of a handgun and possession by certain persons unlawful. She turned herself in to investigators on June 16, 2023, and was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
