SC man facing several charges after barricade incident on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach
Police have charged the man who was the subject of a barricade situation that shut down part of Ocean Boulevard for about five hours.
Kenneth Beachum, 33, was charged with arson, calling in a false bomb threat, a false fire alarm, and burglary after barricading himself in a room in the Seaglass Tower at the Yachstman Resort Thursday in Myrtle Beach.
Beachum, who is from Mullins, was detained after an hours-long standoff with members of the SWAT Team and the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
The standoff began when a bomb threat made to the Olympic Pancake House led Myrtle Beach police officers to the Seaglass Tower, according to a Facebook post from the Myrtle Beach Police Department. While police investigated the bomb threat, Beachum pulled a fire alarm, forcing hotel guests to evacuate, police said.
He barricaded himself in a room on the seventh floor and called police. Dispatchers then spoke to Beachum on the phone until he threw his phone off the hotel room balcony.
Myrtle Beach police officers on-scene Thursday said they were initially called to a 911 hangup.
Spectators — many of whom were vacationers evacuated from the Yachtsman Resort — gathered in streets and parking lots and watched as at least a dozen SWAT Team members stormed the Seaglass Tower. Authorities were seen negotiating with Beachum from an adjacent balcony for hours. During the course of the standoff, Beachum walked in and out of the hotel room several times, going back and forth between the balcony and the room. At one point, Beachum faced the crowd of specators and law enforcement and smoked a cigarette. At another point, he stripped and threw his clothing off the balcony onto the street below.
Around 4:45 p.m., Beachum set fire to furniture in the hotel room, according to the Facebook post. Smoke could be seen coming out of the sliding-glass door that led to the balcony.
At least four Myrtle Beach firetrucks arrived on-scene. Firefighters and police officers entered the room “to prevent loss of life or property,” even after sprinklers put the fire out, according to the Facebook post.
The standoff ended when Beachum was tased on the balcony and taken into custody, Cpl. Tom Vest with the Myrtle Beach Police Department confirmed Thursday evening.
Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock commended law enforcement on their handling of the situation, according to the Facebook post.
“This was a rapidly changing incident and required a joint response from several agencies. Our partnerships and training resulted in a positive ending, and I am proud of our team for their courage and for safely taking Beachum into custody.”
This story was originally published July 16, 2021 at 12:07 PM.
