LEXINGTON COUNTY — An Orangeburg man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following his conviction in a 2022 shooting outside a Harbison Boulevard restaurant.
Brandon Rashad Benjamin, 34, was convicted April 3 of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Circuit Court Judge Shawn Graham presided over the week-long trial and imposed the sentence, which includes a concurrent five-year term for the weapon charge. Under South Carolina law, attempted murder is classified as a violent, most serious offense and is not eligible for parole.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitors Kelly Oppenheimer and Caroline Strom, along with Deputy Solicitor Angela G. Martin. The investigation was conducted by the Columbia Police Department and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
According to testimony, the incident occurred Dec. 23, 2022, as the victim was leaving the Olive Garden. Authorities said Benjamin confronted the victim in the parking lot, threatened him with a firearm, and asked, “Are you feeling close to God?”
Investigators said the two men had a prior dispute involving a woman. After initially leaving the area, Benjamin returned, exited his vehicle, and fired multiple shots in the crowded parking lot, striking the victim once in the arm.
The victim suffered severe bleeding and was aided by an off-duty Lexington County firefighter and an off-duty Newberry County Sheriff’s Office investigator until emergency responders arrived. He was transported to Prisma Health Richland, where he underwent two surgeries.
The following day, Benjamin was stopped in Richland County for an expired tag. Authorities said he initially cooperated before leading officers on a 19-mile pursuit through Richland and Lexington counties. The chase ended in the city of Cayce.
Officers recovered a 9mm handgun from the vehicle, which forensic testing later confirmed was used in the shooting.
Officials said the sentence brings accountability in a case that endangered both the victim and others in a busy public area.
