Update: North Myrtle Beach police officer shot himself while responding to service call

A North Myrtle Beach police officer is in stable condition after shooting himself in the leg Sunday night.

The officer was responding to an unrelated call for service in the Little River area, nearby where a mass shooting on a boat at the marina took place. The officer’s weapon unexpectedly discharged twice, resulting in the injury, according to a Facebook post by North Myrtle Beach Police.

The officer had both of his hands on a gate when his weapon went off, which was verified by video, police said in the post. The video further showed, since the officer had his hands elsewhere and was not attempting to use his weapon, police ruled out that the shots fire came from the marina area.

The officer was transported from the scene to Seacoast Hospital where he was then transferred to Grand Strand Hospital to undergo surgery, a Facebook post said.

No other individuals were injured, and there is no ongoing threat to public safety, said North Myrtle Beach Officer Pat Wilkinson.

The incident happened about 11 p.m. in the area of Harbourgate Marina near the intersection of Sea Mountain Highway and Little River Neck Road. North Myrtle Beach Police requested assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Horry County Police.

The police departments created a perimeter and began looking for suspects. The scene re-opened after officers obtained video footage showing that the wounded officer’s rifle was the gun that fired.

SLED is investigating the incident.

Wilkinson said the officer was putting a boat in the water to be able to assist Horry County Police with a shooting that occurred in Little River.

That shooting, which occurred on a boat dock near Watson Avenue, left more than 11 people injured.

This story was originally published May 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM.

Terri Richardson

The Sun News