South Carolina
Hate Crime Statistics Case Examples News Resources DOJ Offices
2023 Hate Crime Statistics for South Carolina*
| Bias Motivation Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity/Ancestry | 49 | 40 | 70 |
| Religion | 32 | 13 | 26 |
| Sexual Orientation | 21 | 10 | 9 |
| Disability | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| Gender | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Gender Identity | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 107 | 65 | 115 |
| Type of Crime | Incidents | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Crimes Against Persons | 64 | 49.2% |
| Crimes Against Property | 48 | 36.9% |
| Crimes Against Society | 18 | 13.8% |
| Bias Motivation Category | Incidents | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Race/Ethnicity/Ancestry | 70 | 60.9% |
| Religion | 26 | 22.6% |
| Sexual Orientation | 9 | 7.8% |
| Disability | 3 | 2.6% |
| Gender | 2 | 1.7% |
| Gender Identity | 5 | 4.3% |
* 2021 was the first year that the annual hate crimes statistics were reported entirely through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). As a result of the shift to NIBRS-only data collection, law enforcement agency participation in submitting all crime statistics, including hate crimes, fell significantly from 2020 to 2021.
Case Examples
A South Carolina man pleaded guilty to obstructing an investigation into a 2019 murder of a Black transgender woman.
The defendant hid that he had used his cell phone to call and text the victim on the day she was killed. He also lied about seeing the person who allegedly killed the victim on the morning of the attack.
Guilty Plea: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/south-carolina-man-pleads-guilty-obstructing-justice-murder-black-transgender-woman
A South Carolina man and woman pleaded guilty to a hate crime and other charges.
The man and woman followed their victims home from public places like the grocery store and gas station and robbed them at gunpoint. They targeted their victims because of their race and nationality.
According to the plea agreements, both defendants must pay restitution to the victims.
Two South Carolina men have been charged with hate crimes for the murder of a transgender woman because of her gender identity.
According to the charges, one of the defendants shot the victim because of her gender identity and then both men lied to authorities about where they were on the night of the murder.
These are serious allegations. But the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/man-charged-hate-crime-and-obstruction-and-second-man-charged-obstruction-offenses
Press Release: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-charged-hate-crime-and-obstruction-and-second-man-charged-obstruction-offenses-following
News
- December 17, 2025 | South Carolina Man Indicted on Hate Crime and Firearm Charges
- April 2, 2025 | Four South Carolina Defendants Sentenced for Civil Rights Crimes Targeting Hispanics
- November 15, 2024 | South Carolina Man Arrested for Hate-Based Threats to Kill News Reporter and Her Family
- May 2, 2024 | South Carolina Man Sentenced for Obstructing Justice in the Murder of a Black Transgender Woman
- February 24, 2024 | South Carolina Man Found Guilty of Hate Crime for Killing a Transgender Woman Because of Her Gender Identity
- November 28, 2023 | Two South Carolina Men Charged with Hate Crimes for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic Victims
- October 26, 2023 | South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice in the Murder of a Black Transgender Woman
- October 13, 2023 | Staged Reading of The Laramie Project Set for October 17 and 18 at University of South Carolina School
- August 23, 2023 | South Carolina Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Hate Crime and Conspiracy for Bias-Motivated Armed Robberies Targeting Hispanic Victims
- June 27, 2023 | Readout of Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke’s Trip to South Carolina
- March 8, 2023 | U.S. Attorney for District of South Carolina Joins DOJ Delegation to Commemorate Bloody Sunday and Passage of Voting Rights Act of 1965
- February 8, 2022 | U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina Announces New Court Guide for Mass Violence Trials
- October 28, 2021 | Justice Department Announces Multi-Million Dollar Civil Settlement in Principle in Mother Emanuel Charleston Church Mass Shooting
- September 24, 2021 | FBI Launches Hate Crime Reporting Campaign in South Carolina
- August 30, 2019 | U.S. Attorney’s Office Sponsors 20th Annual Southern States Victim Assistance Conference
- April 12, 2019 | Greenwood Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Murder for Hire with Hate Crime Enhancement
Resources
The resources below include specific examples, experiences, or information related to South Carolina. Go to the Resources page to access all resources.
- Publication | National Institute of Justice (OJP) | Law Enforcement, Prosecutors
DOJ Offices
FBI Field Office
U.S. Attorney's Office
Community Relations Service (CRS)
- Community Relations Service
at U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys
175 N Street, NE, Suite 4.601
Washington, DC 20530
(202) 252-5550
USAEO.AskCRS@usdoj.gov