Shots fired at Myrtle Beach gas station caught on film
A video posted to Twitter Wednesday afternoon shows a man firing shots from a handgun at another man on Kings Highway in central Myrtle Beach.
City spokesman Mark Kruea said police have a suspect but as of Wednesday evening no one had been arrested.
Late Wednesday night, Myrtle Beach Police Capt. Joey Crosby identified Ryan Ralston as the suspect in the case. He is wanted for attempted murder. Ralston was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with a green logo, dark shorts and black Air Jordan sneakers. He also had an orange silicone wristband on his right wrist and was carrying a pink Victoria Secret bag.
Anyone with information on the case or Ralston's location is asked to call 843-918-1382.
Eighteen-year-old Aaron Culp, of Myrtle Beach, posted the video to Twitter shortly before 2 p.m., writing, "Just witnessed this in myrtle beach."
In the video, a man is seen walking into a BP gas station at Kings Highway and 15th Avenue South.
"That guy got a gun in his pants," someone says in the video. "He's about to go in there and rob that place."
The victim follows the suspect out, and then the suspect is seen firing two shots before fleeing to a nearby pickup truck.
Culp said he and a friend were early to a job and sat in their truck in a parking lot across the street to eat lunch. Before he started filming, Culp said he saw the suspect take a gun out of a bag and put it in his waistband. That is when he hit record on his phone..
When the gun went off, Culp said, "It was just really shocking. I didn't expect that at all."
After the shooting, Culp said they called police and gave officers the video.
Myrtle Beach police released a brief statement Wednesday afternoon. Crosby said, "Officers with the Myrtle Beach Police Department are currently conducting an investigation in the area of 15th Ave S and Yaupon Drive regarding a report of a discharge of a weapon."
He added, "Officers have learned that no one was injured as a result of this incident. Initial information leads officers to believe that the victim and suspect know each other. Investigators and Crime Scene officers are on scene and continue to investigate this incident."
A resident on the street Ashley Hoover who lives two houses down from the gas station said, "I hate to see this, but in the back of my mind it's possible. I'm not surprised, honestly."
City Manager John Pedersen said in a press release, “We can’t control what people see and film, but we can arrest those who break the law and endanger others.”
After posting the video on social media, Culp said he expected responses, which were swift. He said he was happy the shooting didn't end with a worse result.
"I'm just glad nobody got hurt," he said.
This story was originally published May 16, 2018 at 2:32 PM with the headline "Shots fired at Myrtle Beach gas station caught on film."