Myrtle Beach looks to fix public safety with blanket regulations, forced business closures
Following a recent string of shootings, Myrtle Beach City Council will hold a special meeting Wednesday to discuss a pair of measures that would give the Chief of Police and City Manager certain authorities over public safety decisions.
With gun violence plaguing Ocean Boulevard in recent weeks, Myrtle Beach officials are looking to gain control over the area to ensure public safety. Part of the process includes passing two measures that essentially declare every summer weekend through Labor Day as an extraordinary event and gives Chief Amy Prock and City Manager John Pedersen authorization to shut down businesses if deemed necessary.
An ordinance, which will require two readings, would give Pedersen and Prock the ability to close any business “only upon the failure of at least one previous effort to achieve compliance, and to be effective only from the moment of such order until that business normally reopens (but not sooner than four hours).”
The ordinance would also authorize Pedersen to impose a curfew in certain areas of the city as necessary to maintain public safety and “good order,” according to the ordinance. Furthermore, it would allow officials to declare certain weekends, such as July 4, from July 2 to July 7, Labor Day Weekend and Memorial Day Weekend, or other events where attendance is expected to exceed 10,000 people, extraordinary events.
A separate resolution, which only requires one reading, would declare every weekend starting Friday, June 19 through Sunday, Sept. 6, as extraordinary events.
According to the city code, an extraordinary event is defined as an large-scale gathering, permitted or non-permitted event that has a history of attracting or is expected to attract a significant number of vehicles or people exceeding 10,000 that could have an immediate impact on the city’s public health, safety and welfare.
The designation grants the city the ability to request the assistance from the federal, state and other local governments, provided the impact of the extraordinary event has been or is anticipated to call for immediate resources beyond what the city can currently provide.
Other events, including the Nationals Truck Show July 24-26 at Myrtle Beach Speedway and Mustang Week in September, would also be designated as extraordinary events, according to the ordinance, due to a history of “disorderly, unruly, and sometimes unlawful behavior, including but not limited to noise ordinance violations, motor vehicle violations and resulting traffic congestion.”
This decision comes after several high-profile shootings over the last month along the oceanfront.
Around 7:15 p.m. on May 17, officers went to Ocean Boulevard near 11th Avenue North for a shooting. Investigators say in that incident rival gangs from Chesterfield County brought their dispute to Myrtle Beach and it ended when two groups fired across the street at each other.
Eight people were charged in connection to that shooting.
Around 12:30 a.m. May 24, officers went to Ocean Boulevard near 12th Avenue North for a shooting that left four injured.
Senior Assistant Prosecutor Josh Holford said two bystanders were injured. Officers arrested six people in connection to that incident.
Shortly after midnight on Memorial Day, police went to South Ocean Boulevard near 15th Avenue South for a fatal shooting. The Horry County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Cadric Elmore Jr., of Greenwood, and classified his death as a homicide.
Kemain Masonte Reese, 22, of Greenwood, was charged with murder in connection to that shooting.
On June 7, officers went to 21st Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard for a reported shooting, according to an arrest warrant.
Investigators determined that Miles Daekwon Evans was the victim of a larceny, according to the warrant. The larceny incident was diffused, but Evans went looking for the suspect, the warrant state. When he found the person, Evans fired his handgun.
The warrant states the victim was shot.
Police charged Evans with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and other counts in connection to that shooting.
Myrtle Beach’s Special City Council meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
