Latest news with #BlackPearlCulturalHeritageandBikeFestival
International Business Times
26-05-2025
- International Business Times
11 People Injured in Memorial Day Shooting in South Carolina Beach Town as Police Investigate Incident
Police are investigating a mass shooting that took place in a South Carolina beach town, leaving at least 11 people hospitalized. The gunfire broke out in Little River on Sunday around 9:30 p.m., according to a statement from the Horry County Police Department (HCPD). Both police officers and county firefighters responded quickly to the chaotic scene, with video footage capturing several emergency vehicles surrounding the area. Horry County Fire Rescue rushed at least 11 injured people to nearby hospitals, though it remains unclear how many of them suffered gunshot wounds. Police also said that several other victims were transported to hospitals in private vehicles following the shooting in the area. Memorial Day Mayhem Residents are being asked to avoid the area, as the investigation is still ongoing. According to a police update released at 11 p.m., the Horry County Police Department believes this was a targeted incident and that there is no further risk to the public. Shocked locals took to social media to react to the Memorial Day weekend violence, with some saying they heard the gunshots go off. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any suspects have been identified. In a separate incident, the North Myrtle Beach Police Department said that one of their officers accidentally discharged his firearm while responding to an unrelated call in the Little River area, resulting in a self-inflicted leg wound. The officer was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition. No one else was injured by the accidental shooting. It remains unclear what specific incident the officer had been responding to at the time. Little River is located about 20 miles from Myrtle Beach. Watson Avenue, where the mass shooting took place, is predominantly a residential area. Not the First Time The violent episode comes just after fights broke out, leading to a stampede at a Memorial Day celebration nearby. At least 10 people were hospitalized amid the chaos during a concert at Black Bike Week in Atlantic Beach, around nine miles from Little River, on Saturday night. Interim Town Manager Linda Cheatham issued a statement confirming that an unspecified number of people were injured during the violence. "There were a couple of fights that broke out causing panic in the crowd, and several people were injured trying to leave the area," Cheatham said. "Adequate police and medical staff were on hand to aid as needed and transport individuals to the hospital. The music was paused, but the event continued until the festival closing time of 3am." The Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, commonly known as Black Bike Week, draws over 400,000 attendees every year. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the motorcycle event, which features meet-and-greet sessions, parties, live performances, and various forms of entertainment. The festivities began on Friday and are set to wrap up on Monday.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
19 people injured after fight triggered crowd stampede during Memorial Day Weekend celebration in South Carolina
Authorities are investigating after a concert at Black Bike Week in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, descended into chaos Saturday night, resulting in multiple injuries that sent people to the hospital, according to local reports. The annual Memorial Day weekend event, which draws in thousands of bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts, many from the Black community, turned into a chaotic scene with multiple people injured after an apparent argument led to a stampede, The Sun News reported. While at least 19 people were taken to the hospital in ambulances, earlier reports and rumors spreading online of mass casualties are false, Atlantic Beach Police Interim Chief Carlos Castillo said. Fights erupted during a concert that was taking place Saturday night into early Sunday, causing the crowd to panic. Law enforcement said fights broke out, but they believed agitators ran and disappeared into the crowd, Castillo told The Sun News. Those hospitalized were injured for a variety of reasons, including being trampled, heat exhaustion and dehydration. No arrests had been made as of Sunday afternoon. Event attendee Hilton Dewitt told The Sun News earlier Sunday that there may have been an argument on the street around 1 a.m. that caused concert goers to rush toward the stage. He said ambulances then came and police shut the event down. The event was set to start up again after 3 p.m. Sunday. 'We sincerely regret that anyone was injured, but we also regret the unfactual information that is being falsely spread about the Atlantic Beach Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival,' Castillo wrote. The Atlantic Beach Bike Festival has been hosted at Atlantic Beach and other nearby beaches over Memorial Day weekend for years and draws in a large crowd of bikers, according to The Sun News. This year's event is being held from Friday to Monday, according to the report. Atlantic Beach police did not immediately return The Independent's request for comment Sunday morning. This is a developing story...
