16 reports of shootings in or near downtown Myrtle Beach over the years
Downtown Myrtle Beach has seen a number of shooting reports over the years, including a recent incident on Ocean Boulevard that left 11 injured and one dead. Despite police efforts, such as closing the northbound lane of North Ocean Boulevard on weekends and installing over 1,100 cameras, many employees and business owners still feel uneasy late at night.
The Real Time Crime Center and expanded surveillance help police solve crimes quickly, like identifying suspects in an April 2023 Ocean Boulevard shooting caught on Facebook video.
Even so, videos of people fleeing the boardwalk and accounts of businesses closing early show ongoing safety concerns after high-profile shootings.
City officials say violent crime is down overall, but recent cases, like the downtown shooting near Ripley’s Mirror Maze, continue to unsettle the community.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
NO. 1: MYRTLE BEACH POLICE INVESTIGATE SHOOTING NEAR DOWNTOWN, 1 PERSON HURT
Police have not detailed the severity of the victim’s injuries. | Published January 19, 2021 | Read Full Story by Alex Lang
NO. 2: MYRTLE BEACH POLICE MAKE ARRESTS IN CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN SHOOTING THAT LEFT ONE HURT
The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment. | Published January 20, 2021 | Read Full Story by Alex Lang
NO. 3: MYRTLE BEACH POLICE INVESTIGATING TWO BACK-TO-BACK SHOOTINGS NEAR DOWNTOWN
The shootings happened just over 24 hours apart from each other. | Published May 22, 2021 | Read Full Story by Gerard Albert
NO. 4: MYRTLE BEACH POLICE WARRANTS REVEAL NEW DETAILS IN LABOR DAY SHOOTING NEAR OCEAN BOULEVARD
Multiple rounds were fired near businesses on the popular tourist street, hitting a shop with people inside. Here’s more. | Published September 9, 2021 | Read Full Story by Gerard Albert
NO. 5: 2 PEOPLE INJURED FOLLOWING REPORTS OF GUNSHOTS IN MYRTLE BEACH
The reports of gun shots were near 6th Avenue South and Ocean Boulevard early Wednesday morning. | Published November 24, 2021 | Read Full Story by Maya Brown
NO. 6: NC MAN FACES CHARGES OF ATTEMPTED MURDER IN OCEAN BOULEVARD SHOOTING CAUGHT ON FACEBOOK
Myrtle Beach Police arrested the Charlotte man Tuesday after he was extradited back to the city from North Carolina. | Published May 10, 2023 | Read Full Story by Terri Richardson
NO. 7: MYRTLE BEACH POLICE CHARGE 2 IN DOWNTOWN SHOOTING THAT LEFT MAN DEAD
It happened early Friday along Chester Street. Authorities are investigating it as a homicide, police said. | Published August 26, 2023 | Read Full Story by Adam Benson
NO. 8: UPDATED: DOWNTOWN CALLED SAFE AFTER ‘BRUTAL’ ATTACK THOUGH OFFICIAL NOT ‘PRIVY’ TO DETAILS
Accountability: Myrtle Beach Police’s information on incident offered few details of the early morning assault along a downtown street. Is Myrtle Beach safe? | Published October 16, 2023 | Read Full Story by Terri Richardson
NO. 9: PUBLIC SAFETY IN MYRTLE BEACH: HOW DOES WHAT OFFICIALS SAY COMPARE TO CRIME STATISTICS?
According to police data, Myrtle Beach will have an increase of shootings in 2023. | Published November 27, 2023 | Read Full Story by Emalyn Muzzy
NO. 10: VIDEO OF PANICKED PEOPLE FLEEING MYRTLE BEACH’S OCEAN BOULEVARD GOES VIRAL. WHAT HAPPENED?
The video was shot along Ocean Boulevard near the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and SkyWheel. Here is what we learned about the clip that got more than 730,000 views. | Published April 10, 2024 | Read Full Story by Emalyn Muzzy
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NO. 11: 2 SHOOTINGS IN 2 DAYS IN MYRTLE BEACH. BOTH OCCUR AFTER VERBAL ALTERCATION. ONE WAS DEADLY
Myrtle Beach Police are investigating a second shooting that occurred this Memorial Day weekend. The shooting occurred in multiple locations. | Published May 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Terri Richardson
NO. 12: MYRTLE BEACH AREA CITIES ARE SPENDING MILLIONS ON CAMERAS TO FIGHT CRIME. IS IT WORKING?
Two cities in the Myrtle Beach area are among many agencies across the country that use camera systems and technology to help solve and deter crime. | Published January 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Terri Richardson
NO. 13: THESE ARE THE BEST AND WORST ZIP CODES TO WALK IN AROUND MYRTLE BEACH, SC. HERE’S WHY
Myrtle Beach isn’t known for it’s walkability. Here’s which areas you can get around on foot–and where you’ll likely want a car. | Published January 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott
NO. 14: 11 INJURED, 1 KILLED AFTER DOWNTOWN MYRTLE BEACH SHOOTING. POLICE FIRED AT SHOOTER
A bystander said he saw a Myrtle Beach Police officer fire at the shooter near the boardwalk. Coroner named the victim. | Published April 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Terri Richardson Emalyn Muzzy
NO. 15: WILL MYRTLE BEACH SHOOTING IMPACT DOWNTOWN SAFETY PLANS? WHAT WE KNOW
The Myrtle Beach Downtown Alliance claims safety as part of its impact, but as of Monday afternoon, it hasn’t released a statement on the shooting. | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Elena Scott
NO. 16: MYRTLE BEACH OFFICIALS SAY DOWNTOWN IS SAFE. BOARDWALK EMPLOYEES DISAGREE AFTER SHOOTING
Myrtle Beach employees share safety concerns about downtown nightlife, as officials maintain the boardwalk is safe for millions of visitors yearly. | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Emalyn Muzzy
This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.