Posted on 05/27/2014 12:03:23 PM PDT by Gamecock
Several shootings on Memorial Day weekend have Grand Strand officials on damage control working to spread the word to visitors and residents that the area is safe.
Three people were killed and seven injured in five confirmed shootings over the weekend, but Myrtle Beach Police Capt. David Knipes said there were several more reports of shootings or sounds of gunshots that were unconfirmed.
The violence struck a nerve with Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President Brad Dean.
“Unfortunately, none of us are surprised, as the Memorial Day motorcycle rally continues to create unanswered challenges for the community and visitors,” he said. “Safety is a necessity for a tourism destination to thrive and no amount of publicity and promotion will counter the bad publicity generated this weekend.”
“The senseless acts of criminals and unruly visitors have once again marred what should have been a stellar weekend celebrating our armed forces and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of America.” He said the Chamber is working with “promotional partners to do what little we can to counter the negative publicity and assure those visitors planning a trip to the Myrtle Beach area that our community values their safety.”
State Rep. Tracy Edge also issued a statement following the shootings saying the cities and law enforcement need to “take back the streets and make the Grand Strand safer for residents, business owners and visitors.”
Edge said additional law enforcement assistance should be used next year.
“While there were times when things appeared that police were fighting an uphill battle we never have seen the type of lawlessness and violence seen this weekend,” he said. “Therefore I pledge to area municipalities and area law enforcement agencies and I promise to the people in Horry County and along the Grand Strand that we will bring back hundreds of state officers next year, provided that we are asked by local authorities to do so.”
Not all believe the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day BikeFest crowds are to blame, and no connection has been made between any of the shootings and the rally. Atlantic Beach Town Manager William Booker said the shootings are tragic, but doesn’t think they were related to the town’s annual event.
“We had nothing of that magnitude,” he said. “We had no problems in Atlantic Beach. We had no arrests and we had very few citations ... From our perspective what happened in Myrtle Beach was totally unrelated.”
No arrests had been made as of Monday evening. Last year, Myrtle Beach had two homicides. To see three in one night was concerning, Knipes said.
“It’s a very high and alarming number,” he said.
Jamie Williams, 28, of Ladson, and Devonte Dantzler, 21, and Sandy Gaddis Barnwell, 22, both of Summerville, were pronounced dead by Horry County Deputy Coroner Darris Fowler on Saturday. Fowler said all three died from trauma to vital organs due to gunshot wounds sustained during a shooting at Bermuda Sands Resort on 1st Avenue North.
Officers responded at about 11 p.m. Saturday to a reported large fight outside the Bermuda Sands. Three shots were fired before police arrived, striking Keith Williams. As police were providing medical attention to Keith Williams, those involved in the fight moved to the second floor of Bermuda Sands, according to the release.
After about five minutes, officers said the shooter then went to the second floor of the hotel and fired several shots at Jamie Williams, Dantzler and Barnwell, who police say were involved in the fight.
Police believe the shooter fled the rear of the hotel.
Jamie Williams and Dantzler died immediately, and Barnwell and Keith Williams were taken to Grand Strand with gunshot wounds. Barnwell was pronounced dead at the hospital.
On Saturday, another person was injured in a shooting at 6th Avenue South and Ocean Boulevard, two were injured in a shooting at 8th Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard and one was shot in the leg at the Fountain Bleu Motel at 7th Avenue North and Flagg Street.
On Sunday, two were injured in a shooting at the Wave Rider Resort at 1600 South Ocean Boulevard.
Knipes said every available officer was working this weekend. He said changes to enforcement in years ahead have not yet been discussed.
“It’s too early to tell,” he said Monday. “It’s not over. We haven’t looked at stats or sat down and discussed things. It’s not just a police issue, but a community issue that will have to be discussed over time.
“Most of the crowd is not on bikes,” Knipes said. “They could be here because of the BikeFest, but it’s hard to tell.”
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/05/26/3469158/weekend-of-violence-has-myrtle.html?sp=%2F99%2F205%2F&ihp=1#storylink=cpy
Well, you're right, and in principle I agree. However, didn't some of the businesses get sued for closing ("discrimination)? IIRC some were even "forced" to put up signs in the windows welcoming the bikers! Or maybe I'm confusing this with another event.
No, I think you’re right ... but that shouldn’t happen. Even if a business can’t say, “I’ll rent to a Canadian but not a black this week,” they should be allowed to just shut down, losing all possible revenue.
Have you been to the Market Commons?
We went there last year. It got rainy and the kids couldn’t go on the playground, but Anoreth and I looked in some stores. Expensive!
Interesting. I may have work coming up in Jacksonville, NC and if it is a go I will stay on Topsail Isle. Just got this moments ago.
Topsail is nice. We went there three years ago and the year before that, staying at the same oceanfront house in Surf City. Then we went to Lake Norman (near Charlotte, we’d had a baby), and then to Garden City, SC. Now we’re going back to the house in Surf City.
You have to go to the mainland for a real grocery store, but it’s not the end of the world, like the Outer Banks.
I worked OBX last September. Stayed at the Garden Inn on the company’s dime. Not bad at all.
I suspect you’re not trying to cook for 12 people with a Walmart nowhere in sight!
My husband and #1 son have been to the Outer Banks Marathon a couple of times.
There actually are towns out there you know, lol. I love Hatteras Island, prefer the north end. Waves, Salvo, or Rodanthe. But you’ve got to drive 20 miles to avoid paying island prices for groceries, down to Avon. Avon is large enough to have a selection of restaurants and bars, some tourist stuff for entertainment. The ferry landing on the south end of Hatteras is somewhat developed, and you get back into spanish moss and palm trees there, since the Gulf Stream is so close.
North of Hatteras Island are Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills. Every fast food place, eight land highways and all. Jungle golf and tourist kitkat galore. The Wright Brothers Memorial on a huge dune field right in the middle of it all.
I like end of the world places, so it’s Hatteras for me.
Not even. The Outer Banks is Waaayy out there. It’s a neat place and the company pays my room & board. Cool beans with the Marathon.
Super Walmarts?
I’ve been to Salvo, fishing with my father, 1984 or 1985 iirc. Mosquitos like one’s worst nightmares!
For some people it’s the right place, but I don’t consider not being able to get groceries or diapers a “vacation.” To be honest, I’d rather my family went to the beach and left me with the pets! (Bill gets that gig this year, along with Ramon the Tile Guy replacing the kitchen and dining room floors.)
They like the Outer Banks Marathon better than Myrtle Beach, but it’s about double the drive time. One year they stretched Outer Banks into a four-day trip from Charlotte.
Take a look at Emerald Isle, it’s the same island that Indian Beach and Atlantic Beach are on. Emerald is striking due to the large dunes covered in live oak and yaupon trees. Unlike most southeastern beaches it does not seem like just flat and sand, the dunes are everywhere so it seems hilly. There’s a section just before Indian Beach where practically every house there has an ICW and ocean view, high dune lots are valued for this reason. Down near the coast guard station is pricier, the old part near the pier is cheapest. The views are best further out toward Indian Beach as I mentioned. The island runs west to east, so you get gorgeous sunsets over the ocean, unusual for east coast. Pretty place, imho. Fairly sedate, unlike Atlantic Beach on the far opposite end of the island.
“Didn’t there use to be a Harley Bike Week?”
Yes, I was there on vacation during bikers week a long time ago. We didn’t realize it til we got there. What a mess!
Avon has a normal Food Lion store, same price as the mainland. It’s always mobbed. No Super Walmart, you’d have to be in Kitty Hawk and KDH for that. Salvo has a big outdoor water sports complex on the sound side now, there’s always a collection of colorful, interesting things aloft with people dangling below now. To avoid the mosquitoes, don’t go out when the breeze shifts to coming off the sound. So long as it’s blowing in from the beach you’re fine. All the barrier islands are the same way. It’s more pronounced on the islands with large marshes behind them.
“but black bikes are generally assumed to be Harley’s?”
See post #15. Crotch rockets on parade.
I remember getting mosquito bites through my jeans. We treated them with mini-bottles of Scotch that Dad had cribbed from airline flights. We didn’t catch any fish to speak of that trip, either. Must have been August, because I’d worked the summer at Virginia Beach in a restaurant and was heading for college in Texas. Bad impression made.
I’m sure it’s different now, though.
Its all based on how far from Jacksonville it is. As long as it is 45min or less, everything is on the table.
Thanks for the suggestions. I’m in Concord BTW.
Emerald Isle is nice because it is near Sanitary Fish Market and Beaufort. It’s been pretty built up but the “bad” places have been shut down it looked like to me.
The Jolly Knave is missed.
We like Topsail and Ocean Isle quite a bit.
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