All quiet on the Myrtle Beach front: Ocean Blvd. sees calm weekend after string of violence
For the first time in a month — and second time since Myrtle Beach fully reopened after coronavirus closures — Ocean Boulevard saw a quiet weekend without high-profile violence.
Gun violence had marred Ocean Boulevard in recent weeks, but Myrtle Beach police confirmed there were no shootings reported over the weekend.
“We are very happy with the positive reports we are receiving about the enhanced law enforcement presence. We are going to continue to work closely with our officers and partners in law enforcement and our business community,” the department said in a statement.
It was the first weekend since May 29-31 with no gun violence in the downtown stretch. The past weekend and the late-May weekend are the only ones without a high-profile incident since Myrtle Beach hotels were allowed to take new reservations in mid-May.
The May 29-31 weekend featured several protests against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Myrtle Beach enacted several new procedures and increased its presence on Ocean Boulevard in recent weeks to help stem the crime. The plan included putting officers in three-block areas to allow them to quickly respond to incidents, and leaving barricades along the sidewalks.
“We’re going to be flexible so we can address the issues that are occurring,” Chief Amy Prock said weeks ago.
The previous incidents on Ocean Blvd. included:
June 24- A report of shots fired at an Ocean Boulevard mini mart during an armed robbery. Police detained a juvenile in connection to that incident.
June 21 - Police officers reported hearing 10-15 shots while helping on a medical call near Ocean Boulevard.
June 13- Three people were injured in a shooting at an Ocean Boulevard motel. Officers charged five people in connection to that incident.
June 7- A man was charged with attempted murder for firing wildly at another person near Ocean Boulevard, according to an arrest warrant.
May 25- One person was shot and killed near the Landmark Hotel on Ocean Boulevard.
May 24- Police responded to a shooting near Ocean Boulevard and 12th Avenue North. Four people were injured in that incident.
May 17- Rival gangs opened fire at each other on Ocean Boulevard, according to police. Several people were charged in connection to that shooting.
