Myrtle Beach officially moves youth curfew earlier

Myrtle Beach’s earlier curfew is officially in effect, after city council passed it for a second and final time on Tuesday.

The curfew affects all people under 17 starting at midnight, an hour earlier than the previous time. It includes multiple exceptions, but youth on public property at night will no longer be able to avoid a penalty by saying they were sent out on an errand by a parent.

City Manager John Pedersen has said the city does not want to send the message that it is okay to send teens on errands late at night.

The curfew is one of several strategies Myrtle Beach has put in place after a rash of shootings in June.

It may also lead to a wave of new pedestrian stops by police, as officers will be able to stop and question any person that looks remotely close to 17, as The Sun News previously reported.

This story was originally published July 12, 2017 at 10:29 AM with the headline "Myrtle Beach officially moves youth curfew earlier."