A deadly shooting outside a local Columbia bar early Thursday morning has left a family in mourning and a 53-year-old man behind bars. The incident, which was captured on cell phone video and has since circulated widely online, occurred shortly after midnight outside The S Bar on Garners Ferry Road.
Police say Bernard Jackson, 53, is accused of shooting and killing 33-year-old Wendell Sholar, a security guard at the bar, during the chaos of a fight in the parking lot. Officers were already on scene responding to a separate altercation when the shooting took place.
Sholar’s family told WACH FOX News they found out about his death from a family friend who called them. “I have been seeing people talk about things, people seeing different points of view, getting different perspectives, but I just know that my brother was murdered,” said the Victim’s sister, Bianca Sholar.
According to the Columbia Police, shortly after midnight, people were leaving the S Bar on Garners Ferry Road. Officers were already on scene responding to a fight between two men in the parking lot.
Police said seconds after that fight Jackson who was involved in the fight pulled out a gun and shot Sholar.
Sholar’s mother said the security job at S Bar was a part-time position and that he worked in Sales at a local car dealership.
“He didn’t deserve this,” the Victim’s mother Benita Sholar. “To get calls at 8 a.m. saying it’s online and do not open the video, I’m very astonished.”
Sholar’s mother and sister described him as a family man, someone who worked hard and was always kind to people.
Sholar’s sister said what was supposed to be a great day for their family became a nightmare. “My son turned six today on June 6 and unfortunately it’s the day he lost one of his favorite people in the whole world which is his uncle”, said Bianca. “It’s a catch-22 for us, it’s a hard pill to swallow.”
Sholar’s mother said she was confused as to why Jackson wasn’t charged with murder.
“It’s devastating to me that this person is charged with manslaughter and not murder, I don’t understand the manslaughter, he shot my son in front of the police you can’t get more emboldened than that,” said Benita.
