Over the weekend, a shooting left 11 people injured and 18-year-old Jerrius David dead, The Sun News reported. Witness Michael Howard said someone fired a gun, and then a Myrtle Beach Police Officer shot that person. Three officers are on paid administrative leave following the shooting, said Myrtle Beach Police spokesperson Randolph Angotti in a release. “When large crowds gather and rowdiness occurs, it is understandable that some people may feel uneasy, and that is not unique to Myrtle Beach. While we cannot control individual perceptions of safety, we want to assure everyone that the city remains fully committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all,” said Myrtle Beach spokesperson Meredith Denari in an email to The Sun News. It’s not just “some people” feeling easy due to the rowdy crowds. For employees like Amy Carr, she says police have advised the business to close early due to activity in downtown Myrtle Beach.
Myrtle Beach officials are also still withholding the names of the officers involved in the shooting. Wacky T’s manager Melissa Medina said the crowds can cause problems late at night. When something happens, such as a shooting or a fight, people will begin running, causing chaos. As clueless bystanders see people running, they join in, not knowing what is happening. Myrtle Beach Police have attempted to mitigate these issues by shutting down the northbound lane of North Ocean Boulevard from Ninth Avenue North to 16th Avenue North on weekend nights, according to a Facebook post from the agency. The northbound lane is then used only for emergency vehicles. This helps increase officer visibility and allows police to react to concerns faster, the social media post said. “Proactive policing is at the heart of what the Myrtle Beach Police Department does – which is why officers were able to have such a quick response Saturday night,” Denari said.
