Gunman shot by conceal carry permit holder in lexington roadside shooting, charged with attempted murder

Gunman Shot by Conceal Carry Permit Holder in Lexington Roadside Shooting, Charged with Attempted Murder

LEXINGTON, S.C. –  Things didn’t go well for this would-be gunman in Lexington.  He pulled his gun first but was rushed to the hospital after his victim, a licensed concealed carry permit holder pulled his own gun and shot back.  It turns out he was upset somebody else was with his former girlfriend.

Lexington County deputies have arrested and charged a Cayce man who was shot in self-defense after investigators said he fired first in a Saturday night shooting. Christopher James Costello, 22, is charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, according to arrest warrants.

“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,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “We’ve confirmed one of the people is a former girlfriend of Costello’s, another is a concealed weapon permit holder.”

The CWP holder returned fire in self-defense and struck Costello in the upper body, according to Koon. Costello’s injury is not life-threatening.

“It’s very fortunate nobody else was hurt during this incident,” Koon said. “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.”

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