Search continues for suspect in bingo parlor shooting, victims ID’d by Horry coroner
Police continue to search for a suspect in a shooting at a Myrtle Beach area bingo parlor that left a father and son dead.
The Horry County Coroner’s Office confirmed Saturday that Stephen “Steve” Johnson Sr., 73, and Stephen “Sparky” Johnson Jr., 46, were killed in the shooting at Belle Terre Plaza on Friday night. They owned Waccamaw Bingo off U.S. Highway 501, according to Horry County Deputy Coroner Michelle McSpadden.
Both men died of gunshot wounds, according to McSpadden.
Horry County police are searching for the suspect — described as a black man wearing gray clothing and a white cloth covering his face — who fled after the shooting and attempted armed robbery of Waccamaw Bingo around 9:45 p.m. Friday. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Horry police at (843) 248-1520.
“I just don’t know why anyone would kill them,” said Steve’s wife and Sparky’s mother, Glenda Johnson. “They have turned our world upside down.”
Nina Matthews and Heather York were two of the estimated 80 people inside Waccamaw Bingo when the shooting started. They said the suspect came in through a side door wearing what appeared to be a white T-shirt tied like a bandanna covering his face. He demanded money from the counter.
“Then I heard ‘he’s got a gun,’” York said.
The two estimated several shots were fired from a handgun. They ran through the same side door for safety and waited by their cars for a moment before returning to check on the injured.
York said a man tried to tackle the suspect while he was inside, but he escaped. They tried to help one of the victims by applying pressure to his wound.
“It happened so fast,” Matthews said.
Dozens of police cars responded to the parlor to help in the investigation. The people inside at the time of the shooting were not allowed to leave for about three hours.
Those who live nearby, including the Tuscany housing development, were told to shelter in place. That order was lifted by Saturday morning.
Several members of the victims’ families also waited outside the parlor Friday night waiting for any details about the shooting.
Glenda Johnson cried as she was comforted by friends and family as she kept repeating, “I gotta get inside.” She said her husband and son were two of the finest men people could have known and her husband would give the shirt off his back to anyone.
“Fifty-five years we’ve been married,” Glenda Johnson said, “and someone took that away.”
This story was originally published July 27, 2019 at 2:11 PM.
