LEXINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – A man who opened fire on his former girlfriend and a friend of hers was shot in self-defense and then arrested Saturday night.
A woman and her friend were in a car and were being followed by a former boyfriend. When they arrived at a home on Pear Court in Lexington, he opened fire on them, only to have one of his victims return fire. The assailant was identified as Christopher James Costello, 22 of nearby Cayce, SC.
According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, “After taking statements from the victims and witnesses, detectives determined Costello fired a few rounds at people in front of a Pear Court home, including two people he had been following in his car to that location. We’ve confirmed one of the people is a former girlfriend of Costello’s, another is a concealed weapons permit holder.”
The CWP holder returned fire in defense of himself and the other victims and stuck the gunman in the upper torso. According to arrest warrants Costello is charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Koon added, “It’s very fortunate nobody else was hurt during this incident. Costello drove away from the scene and, after he was treated and released at a hospital, he was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center Sunday morning.”
An important aspect of personal safety is situational awareness, which includes knowing what and who is around you on the streets and highways as you travel about. If you suspect someone is following you, you should call police and arrange for them to meet you in a public location.
