Myrtle Beach police release videos of officer fatally shooting a suspect on 65th Avenue
New video shows when Myrtle Beach police shot and killed a suspect on 65th Avenue in October and how they tried to provide first-aid in the immediate aftermath.
The department on Thursday released the video, 911 calls and police reports related to the incident.
Police say Matthew Graham fled from them on a bicycle after being wanted for burglaries in the area of 65th Avenue North. He crashed into bushes along with a stolen AR-15. The officers gave Graham several commands to drop the gun and then shot him.
The video shows that deadly confrontation with police, and the emotional moments that followed.
In one of the dashcam videos, a officer is following Graham on a bike. When Graham turns a corner on 65th Avenue, the dashcam is briefly pointed out of view. The sound of several gunshots is heard between the police sirens as the dashcam returns to the scene.
Moments later, one officer is seen reeling from the scene as he covers his face. He appears to be crying as other cops come to his aid.
The officers -Cpl. Daniel Preciado and patrol officer Thad Morgan - were cleared of their roles in the shooting by the 15th Judicial Circuit Office.
Myrtle Beach police initially declined to release the videos after the Sun News filed a Freedom of Information Act request and said the shooting remained under investigation.
Burglaries before the shooting
Graham was wanted for discharging a weapon in Myrtle Beach and was a suspect in several burglaries, according to a letter from the solicitor’s office. 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.
This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 3:50 PM.
