A 29-year-old mother is facing serious charges after authorities say she shot her ex-boyfriend during an argument while their young child was present Thursday night.
Khila Wood has been charged with domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature and unlawful conduct toward a child, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies say they were first alerted to the situation around 7 p.m. Thursday after receiving a ShotSpotter alert in the area of Audrey Lane. As deputies headed toward that location, they received another notification of gunfire on Nancy Avenue, not far from the initial alert. The location is within the Dentsville neighborhood.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they encountered a witness who reportedly told them “she shot him.” Investigators also found two pools of blood at the location, according to an incident report.
Authorities believe Wood and the victim had been involved in an argument before the situation escalated. Investigators say Wood allegedly struck the victim in the head with a firearm, and the two then struggled over the weapon.
During the altercation, the victim reportedly went to a vehicle to check on their child. According to the incident report, that was when Wood allegedly fired the gun and shot him.
Officials said the child, who is under the age of three, was present during the incident but was not harmed. The child has since been placed in the care of a grandmother.
For neighbors, the presence of the young child during the confrontation made the situation particularly troubling.
“It’s the worst part, because in any domestic, it’s always the child that gets the brunt of everything,” said Ryan Mosler, who lives near where the shooting occurred.
Deputies said Wood and the victim left the scene together after the shooting. The victim was later dropped off at a hospital where he received medical attention.
Authorities say Wood later contacted deputies herself, which led to her arrest. Mosler, who said he has lived in the neighborhood for about three years, described the area as generally quiet despite the disturbing incident.
“I don’t usually lock the door when I go on a walk just because everything is cool here,” he said. “It’s quiet. Nobody bothers each other. But, you know, things do happen. Can’t control that.”
Wood appeared before a judge on Friday afternoon. She was granted a $125,000 surety bond, which allows her to pay a portion of that amount in order to be released from custody.
As part of the bond conditions, she must have no contact with the victim and must wear a GPS monitoring device.
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