Orangeburg Talks Safety After Campus Shooting

Orangeburg leaders held a “Safety First” chat to let residents voice worries about safety and ask questions. The meeting happened just weeks after a shooting at South Carolina State University that killed two people and hurt another. An 18‑year‑old was arrested for the crime. City officials said the university’s own police handled the incident, so it is not counted in Orangeburg’s crime data. Chief Charles Austin told attendees that overall city crime fell by 27. 35% this year, but he noted the data does not include crimes reported by SC State or Claflin University.

Residents raised many points, from campus violence to traffic safety and how crime numbers are shared. One voice asked if missing university data could make the city look safer than it really is. Councilwoman Annette Grievous said this talk is part of a series to keep the community involved. Austin emphasized that Orangeburg is small and family‑friendly, but that there is always room to improve safety. The city plans more chats throughout the year; the next one will be on May 12.

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