Update: Man who died after shooting himself, ending SWAT situation off Forestbrook Road identified
A man died Thursday after shooting himself after an almost five hour standoff with police.
Wyllis Spillars, 44, of the Myrtle Beach area died at 7:44 p.m. Thursday night from a closed head injury caused by a gunshot, according to Horry County Coroner Robert Edge.
Horry County police responded to a home on Ed Smith Avenue off Forestbrook Road on Thursday where a man threatened to harm himself, according to Lt. Raul Denis with Horry County police.
“The gentleman who was having an episode did harm himself, we understand that he shot himself,” Denis said after police were called to the scene early Thursday afternoon.
The victim was still alive when he was taken to Conway Medical Center, Denis said, but died later Thursday night. The man shot himself around 3 p.m. and was escorted from the scene by paramedics.
Despite our best efforts, the gentleman shot himself and ended our attempts to help.
Lt. Raul Denis
Horry County policePolice said the man shot himself with a small firearm. He was alone at the home – which is on the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway – and sitting on a backyard deck, facing the water and not cooperating with police.
Negotiators who are trained to speak to people in these situations interacted with him, Denis said. Multiple agencies were on scene, including a SWAT team, Horry County Fire-Rescue, U.S. Coast Guard and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
U.S. Coast Guard patrolled the area around the home, and a portion of the Intracoastal Waterway was closed for about two hours.
Coast Guard boat is keeping its distance from the SWAT scene. There's a second boat further up the river too. pic.twitter.com/cKTD7QxCx5
— Claire Byun (@Claire_TSN) March 17, 2016
“No one else is in danger. Just the one man who is having the psychiatric instance,” Denis said.
# hcpd on scene at home off forestbrook road where man with weapon threatening to harm himself. pic.twitter.com/vkW7H9tJ1K
— Elizabeth Townsend (@tsn_etownsend) March 17, 2016
A portion of the road was blocked off for several hours while police negotiated with the man. Denis said the victim probably won’t face charges, although attempting suicide is illegal in S.C.
“It’s always sad when someone wants to end their life or anybody else’s,” neighbor Bud Chestnut said.
This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Update: Man who died after shooting himself, ending SWAT situation off Forestbrook Road identified."