An early-morning shooting in Richland County, South Carolina, claimed the life of 30-year-old Jada S. Watts and left an 11-year-old girl with gunshot wounds. The two victims were discovered after a shooting that happened on Haverford Drive, leaving investigators searching for answers while two families face the consequences of a violent morning.
Deputies were called around 5 a.m. Saturday, November 7, 2026, following reports of shooting victims in the 200 block of Cricket Ridge in Lexington County. However, investigators determined that the actual shooting had taken place on Haverford Drive in Richland County, near Columbia.
Jada was found unresponsive near a vehicle outside a residence. She had suffered a gunshot wound to her upper body, and emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the shooting have not yet been fully explained by authorities.
Inside the residence, deputies also found an 11-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound to her upper body. The child was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. Her condition has not been made public, leaving questions about her recovery unanswered.
The Richland County Coroner’s Office identified the woman who died as Jada S. Watts, 30, of Columbia. The identification was announced on Sunday, November 8, as the sheriff’s department continued investigating the case. No further details about a suspect or possible motive have been established in the information released so far.
But there is another side to this tragedy that goes beyond the location, the injuries and the ongoing investigation. Jada had recently turned 30, and according to a tribute shared by someone who knew her, she was known for bringing a positive spirit to her workplace. Those who encountered her there remembered someone whose presence made an impression.
She was also close to completing her training to become a medical assistant. It was a goal she had been working toward, with the finish line almost within reach. Instead of celebrating her achievement and beginning a new chapter, her family must now come to terms with a future that will no longer include her.
Her mother, Stephanie Rudolph Watts, and other loved ones are left with a loss that cannot be measured by the details in an official report. Jada was a daughter, a familiar face to those around her and a woman who still had plans for her life. The 11-year-old girl’s injuries add another painful part to an incident that has left many questions unanswered.
For Jada’s loved ones, the most difficult part may be knowing how much she still had ahead of her. She had only just entered her thirties, was pursuing a career and had reasons to look forward to what came next. Her life ended in a shooting, but the memories her family and friends carry are about the woman they knew, the goals she pursued and the time they wish they had been given with her.
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