Here is what happened before police shot and killed a Myrtle Beach man
Matthew Graham fled on a bicycle from police officers on Oct. 12 when he crashed into some bushes. He had a stolen AR-15 and police had spent hours searching for him following reports of a robbery.
Graham rolled towards the street, grabbed the rifle and pointed the loaded muzzle at the officers.
The police gave Graham several commands to drop the gun and then shot him.
“There is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing on behalf of the [officers],” Chief Deputy Solicitor Scott Hixson wrote in a letter released on Friday.
Graham’s actions on Oct. 11 and 12 and Myrtle Beach police’s response were included in a letter from the 15th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office that cleared the officers of wrongdoing.
Cpl. Daniel Preciado, who has 15 years of experience, and patrol officer Thad Morgan, who has five years of experience, were both involved in the shooting.
Police withheld many details of the events leading up to the shooting, as well as dashcam video. Four police reports after the shooting provided the only insights into the events leading to the confrontation.
According to the Solicitor’s Office letter, Graham was wanted for discharging a weapon in Myrtle Beach and was a suspect in several burglaries. The letter is based on an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Patrol officers knew Graham was frequently in the area of 65th Avenue North and spoke to a convenience store clerk when trying to find the suspect. The employee later saw Graham and said police were looking for him.
Graham reportedly said, “He wasn’t going back to jail, that they would have to kill him,” according to the letter.
The clerk called police around 11 p.m. on Oct. 11 to report seeing Graham.
Officers searched for Graham and saw him carrying a rifle wrapped in clothing, according to the letter. That was after reports that an AR-15 was stolen from a nearby home.
Police chased Graham, who went into a backyard, and an hours-long standoff happened, the letter states.
Graham broke into a shed, stole a ladder and climbed over a fence with the rifle, according to the letter. Officers thought Graham was hiding in the backyard until they heard gunshots from U.S. Highway 17. Some officers left the standoff to head in that area.
Myrtle Beach police then saw Graham riding a bicycle near 65th Avenue North while still in possession of the rifle. That is when he crashed and officers shot.
The letter states a loaded rifle had the same serial number as the one stolen earlier in the day. Graham also tested positive for amphetamines and cannabinoids in a toxicology report.
Myrtle Beach Cpl. Thomas Vest said its department investigation found similar results as SLED’s. The office will return to duty “as schedules permit.” He declined to say if any disciplinary action was taken as the agency does not discuss personnel issues.
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 10:44 AM.
