Myrtle Beach police officers involved in shooting near Yaupon Drive
10/4 6 a.m. update- A Myrtle Beach police officer died in the shooting. Click here to read more.
Myrtle Beach police were involved in a shooting near Yaupon Drive on Saturday night.
Authorities also closed Yaupon Drive near 15th Avenue South. More than a dozen police cruisers are parked in the road.
Myrtle Beach police only confirmed that officers were involved in a shooting and have not released any information about what led to the shooting, how many people were hurt and if any officers are injured.
Officers referred questions to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. It’s standard practice for state agents to investigate an officer-involved-shooting.
A crowd gathered near Yaupon Drive and 15th Avenue South to watch the scene unfold. A few talked about the gunfire they heard or shared information with people in cars who were passing down the road. Police also blocked off Kings Highway near the scene of the shooting.
Clarence Austin, who lives near where the shooting happened, said he was at home watching a movie when the gunfire started.
“I hear ‘pop, pop, pop,’” Austin said first wondering if it was fireworks. He walked outside where he heard more shots. “I was like, ‘Yep that’s a gunshot.’”
It was then that Austin said he heard a third round of gunfire.
When asked what he thinks about knowing a shooting happened so close to his home, Austin could only sarcastically respond “it’s Myrtle Beach.”
Daisey Stockbauer and Jody Bowles also live near the shooting and came outside when they heard the gunfire.
“I was scared,” Stockbauer said.
The two said when they came outside they saw some police helping another officer from the scene. The officer was limping, but was relatively OK. The injured officer sat near a fire hydrant and seconds later EMS came by to pick up the officer, the two said.
“I wanted to go over and help him,” Stockbauer said.
This story was originally published October 3, 2020 at 10:32 PM.
