One of the men injured in a shooting in Five Points early Sunday morning has been identified as a criminal justice major and ROTC member at Saint Augustine's University (SAU), according to a statement released form the school Sunday afternoon.
Howard Boone, Jr., 23, was visiting the area with friends and was an innocent victim, according to a spokesman for Saint Augustine’s University.
A criminal justice major and an ROTC member, Boone is described as "a model student and well respected among his peers” by Dr. Everett B. Ward, president Saint Augustine’s University.
He received his airborne certification last year, with aspirations of being commissioned as a second lieutenant into the United States Army upon graduation, according to the University.
“The University continues to pray for Mr. Boone and his family," Ward said.
“We continue to be concerned with the rising incidences of gun violence affecting our young people, added. Dr. Ward. “It is time for serious dialogue to take place to address this national crisis.”
On Sunday evening, Columbia police announced an arrest in the shooting that injured Boone.
Established in 1867 in Raleigh, Saint Augustine’s University is a four-year liberal arts university with an average enrollment of approximately 1,100, according to the university's website. It is one of the oldest historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the United States.