"It Will Forever Change My Life": One Man's Call for Change After a Racially Motivated Shooting

Columbia, S.C. — On the morning of July 17, what seemed to be another routine day quickly turned into a flashpoint of fear and resilience for Jarvis McKenzie.

McKenzie, a Black man employed by Columbia’s wastewater department for the past two years, was standing outside his home in the Spring Valley neighborhood in northeast Richland County just before dawn, waiting for his supervisor’s ride to work. Around 5:30–6:00 a.m., a car pulled up. A man inside looked at McKenzie, fired a shot into the air, and yelled, “Keep running, boy.” The suspect, 33-year-old Jonathan Felkel—who is White—was later arrested and charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and hate intimidation under Richland County’s recently enacted ordinance.

McKenzie, together with his attorney Tyler Bailey, made his first public remarks on this traumatic morning at an August 21 press conference. “It will forever change my life and my family’s,” McKenzie shared, pulling back the curtain on how deeply the assault has altered his daily routines and sense of security. He said, “Now I wait for the sun to come up before I go outside. I look at the door, check around the house… I don’t know who is who now.”

Though shaken, McKenzie still completed his shift that day—but things have not been the same since. His stepdaughter, who used to enjoy early morning walks, now fears for her safety. Bailey emphasized that a misdemeanor hate intimidation charge—South Carolina’s current maximum under local law equates to a 30-day jail sentence or a fine similar to one for littering—is entirely insufficient for hate-based violence.

A Symbolic First Under a Limited Ordinance

This case marks the first arrest under Richland County’s hate intimidation ordinance, approved in June. That measure addresses crimes motivated by race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability with misdemeanor-level penalties—a crucial first step, but one with limitations.

Felkel’s bond was set at $1 million cash on assault and weapons charges, with an additional approximately $1,100 for hate intimidation.

Video footage shared by authorities captures Felkel sitting in a vehicle, grabbing a rifle, firing one shot toward the jogger, then yelling “Keep running, boy”—a chilling and deliberate act of intimidation.

His statements during a police interview—“I was going to shoot at him. I was. I was going to shoot at him”—underscore the racial animus driving the attack.

The Broader Call for Statewide Reform

While local laws are helpful, advocates say they’re not enough. South Carolina remains one of only two U.S. states without a comprehensive hate crime law. State Representative Seth Rose, who has previously co-sponsored a hate crime bill, called the incident “alarming and troubling” and argued for legislative enhancements. JT McLawhorn, president and CEO of the Columbia Urban League, echoed the sentiment: without statewide legislation, such violence appears tolerated. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, however, maintains opposition to a hate crime law, asserting that all crimes should be punished equally.

Sources

• South Carolina Public Radio: First arrest under Richland County hate crime ordinance—charges, video description, and suspect’s statements.

• HERE Columbia: Arrest framing, shooting details, bond figures, court date and statistical context.

• WIS-TV: Press conference coverage, victim’s comments, ordinance overview and bond type.

• WRDW/WAGT: Community reaction, quotes from local lawmakers and civil rights leaders.

• WIS-TV (Judge sets bond): Bond specifics, neighbor reactions and quote excerpts.

• Atlanta Black Star: Detailed narrative of surveillance footage and interview confessions.

• ABC Columbia: Victim speaks out—first comments and call for statewide law.