SC Mall Shooting Suspect Was Defending Himself: Lawyer

Jewayne M. Price, a suspect in the South Carolina mall shooting that injured 14 people Saturday, acted in self-defense, his lawyer says. Price, 22, also turned himself in immediately following the shooting, per attorney Todd Rutherford. "He simply defended himself,” Rutherford said at a bond hearing Sunday. “After the incident, he called law enforcement, he told them where he was and turned in his gun. He waited, he never left the scene." Two other people were detained immediately following the shooting, but they've been released, and police say they are still searching for other suspects, the State reports.

Rutherford says Price was at the mall when two people shot at him with no provocation, and he returned fire, FOX Carolina reports. "This was a situation where they simply started shooting,” he said. “He’s a law abiding citizen … clearly these people provoked this and should be in custody." Rutherford says there had been prior threats toward Price on social media and that his client thinks he knows why he was targeted, but Rutherford said he would let the police focus on that aspect of the investigation. Price, who is currently facing a weapons charge because he legally owned the gun but did not have a concealed weapon permit, will be confined to house arrest and wear an ankle monitor. He will be allowed to travel to and from work. (More South Carolina stories.)