28-04-2025
Deadly officer-involved shooting at least 25th instance of gun violence on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach since 2020
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A deadly officer-involved shooting late Saturday night on Ocean Boulevard was just the latest such incident to happen on one of the city's popular streets.
Saturday's incident resulted in the death of 18-year-old Jerrius Davis of Bennettsville.
The street has seen several violent crimes over the past few years. Below is a breakdown of News13's coverage in each incident since 2020. Deadly shootings are italicized.
Several shootings took place in the weeks surrounding Memorial Day in 2020, the first of which, a gang-related one, resulted in several injuries and several people being taken into custody.
Seven people in total were taken into custody, including an active-duty U.S. Navy member. Several people were injured, but none of the injuries were life-threatening. Police said the shooting involved 'rival gang' members who had an ongoing dispute in Chesterfield County.
Antonio Trayvon Brown, Jr., of Cheraw, pleaded guilty to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, according to the solicitor's office. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Dennis Dashawn Stewart, 22, of Cheraw, also pleaded guilty to assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for his role in the shooting.
There was also a shots-fired incident in the same area around the same time, but police believe no one was hit.
The next shooting happened the day before Memorial Day, injuring four people in the area of 12th Avenue North. Six people were taken into custody.
Another shooting happened about 24 hours later, this time on Memorial Day. It happened in the area of 15th Avenue South.
Cedric Elmore Jr. of Greenwood was killed in the shooting. Mayor Brenda Bethune said the shooting was 'gang violence.'
In 2021, Kemian Reese, 24, of Greenwood, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Elmore's death. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Six people were charged and three people were hurt after a shooting at the Happy Holiday Motel at 507 N. Ocean Blvd.
Willie Duffy, 24, was charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, and unlawful carry of a pistol.
Bryson Pack, 18, of Rockingham, North Carolina, was charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and resisting arrest, police said.
Cody Alan Harding, 19, of Hamlet, North Carolina, was charged with possession of a stolen handgun and simple possession of marijuana, according to police.
Three juveniles were also charged in connection with the shooting, a news release said. Police say they were charged with loitering for harmful purposes, minor in possession of a handgun and possession of a stolen handgun. They were also from North Carolina.
Another shooting happened at the Ocean Crest Inn & Suites at 601 S. Ocean Blvd, resulting in two arrests and one injury.
Jamario Lenard Stevenson, 22, of Florence, was charged with manufacturing or distributing crack cocaine, one count of manufacturing or distributing methamphetamine, one count of trafficking heroin and simple possession of marijuana.
Alik Shalum Johnson, 24, of Conway was charged with one count of unlawful carrying of a pistol, one unlawful possession of a weapon, one count of manufacturing or distribution of methamphetamine, one count of manufacturing or distributing of crack cocaine, one count of possession of crack cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine, two counts of possession of heroin, one count of possession of MDMA and one count of simple possession of marijuana.
One person received treatment for their injuries after a shooting at the Coral Sands Motel at 301 N. Ocean Blvd.
Police said several people were taken into custody in connection with the shooting, the last — and at least the sixth — documented incidence of violence on Ocean Boulevard in 2020.
A man was killed and nine people were taken into custody in a shooting on the second floor at the Waterpark Motel on South Ocean Boulevard, according to police.
The coroner's office identified the victim as Jermaine Stewart, 43, of Conway. Authorities later charged John Whitney with murder in Stewart's death.
Several other people were charged, including Michael Ray Phillips, 30, of Myrtle Beach, with accessory after the fact of armed robbery, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, trafficking heroin, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of crack cocaine, possession of a schedule IV substance, and simple possession of marijuana.
Melissa Darlene Hudson, 28, of Forestbrook, was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking heroin, possession of crack cocaine, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, financial transaction card theft, and simple possession of marijuana.
Melissa Dawn Funderburk, 38, of Rock Hill, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, and simple possession of marijuana.
Marion William Couick, 51, of Myrtle Beach, was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, possession of crack cocaine, and simple possession of marijuana.
Bohannon Cassanova Martin, 30, of Myrtle Beach, was charged with trafficking crack cocaine.
A person was shot twice in the right arm and once in the hip in the area of 4th Avenue North, according to police.
The person who was shot was in possession of approximately six grams of a substance that field tested positive for marijuana and less than one gram of a substance that field tested positive for meth, according to police.
Two vehicles were also hit by gunfire, according to a police report. Police did not name any suspects immediately after the shooting.
Kyree Lavell Brown, 29, of Myrtle Beach, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and discharging a weapon into a dwelling in connection with a Labor Day shooting on N. Ocean Boulevard.
Brown was walking north in the 900 block of North Ocean Boulevard at about 12:30 a.m. when he noticed the victim, according to warrants. He allegedly grabbed a gun from the person who was walking next to him and began shooting at the victim.
After shooting at the victim, Brown allegedly ran toward the cut-through at Ripley's Haunted House and continued to shoot behind him as he ran away, according to the warrants. In the process, bullets hit Mad Myrtle Ice Cream, which was occupied by people.
Authorities also later charged Jamario Lenard Stevenson with attempted murder and other gun-related crimes.
A person was taken into custod, but no injuries were reported after a shooting in the 1200 block of N. Ocean Boulevard. Police said the shooting followed a fight.
The person arrested was detained by a security guard from a nearby restaurant until officers arrived, police said.
The shooting happened in the early morning of Nov. 24, 2021, when Adam Jarrett of Tabor City, North Carolina, was shot multiple times in the side and back at a hotel along Ocean Boulevard, the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office said. Jarrett managed to pull out his own gun and fire it at Evans, who was shot eight times.
Ladarius Kaishawn Evans, 26, of Coward, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter the day before his trial, the solicitor's office said. Judge Alex Hyman sentenced Evans to 15 years in prison.
The shooting happened at about 9 p.m. on N. Ocean Boulevard near 14th Avenue North, according to police. Two people were found with what appeared to be gunshot wounds lying on the ground outside of one of the victim's cars, according to a police report obtained by News13.
A man was arrested after the shooting and later charged with murder after the victim — Rhonda Harris, 38, of Lancaster — died at the hospital weeks later.
Lashawn Jarrett of Monroe, North Carolina, was charged with murder, first-degree assault and battery, discharging a firearm into a vehicle, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and simple possession of marijuana.
Police were called at about 6:15 p.m. to a parking garage in the 2900 block of S. Ocean Boulevard for a fight. During the fight, one person was shot, police said. The person shot was treated on scene by EMS and is expected to be OK.
Two people were detained in connection with the incident.
Stephen Drayton-Thomling allegedly shot into an occupied room at the Summer Sands Motel, located in the 1400 block of S. Ocean Boulevard.
According to arrest warrants obtained by News13, Drayton-Thomling and a victim got into an argument at the motel, and Drayton-Thomling hit the person in the head with a pistol. After the victim went back into a room where his juvenile daughter was also located, the warrants say Drayton-Thomling fired a shot toward them that went through a large glass window.
Drayton Thomling was charged with attempted murder, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, discharging a firearm into a dwelling and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Officers were called to the area of 16th Avenue S. and Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach police said in a Facebook post. Officers responded at about 12:30 p.m. after getting a report about someone with a gunshot wound.
Those involved in the shooting fled the area before officers arrived, according to police.
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune released a statement to News13 Monday after a shooting on Ocean Boulevard was captured on video that garnered thousands of shares on social media.
Edward Arnell Williams was booked into the Myrtle Beach jail on charges of attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and discharging a firearm into a vehicle, records show.
An 18-year-old North Carolina man and a juvenile were facing weapons and marijuana charges after a shooting Wednesday night on N. Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, police said.
Both Elijah Bates, of Concord, North Carolina, and the juvenile, whose name has not been released, are accused of discharging a firearm within city limits and simple possession of marijuana, police said.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The shooting happened at about 3:40 a.m. in the area of the Budget Inn at 501 N. Ocean Blvd., police said in a Facebook post. Police did not immediately release any information about injuries or a suspect or suspects.
One person was hurt in a 'shooting incident' on S. Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, police said.
Officers were called at 1:25 a.m. to the 1800 block of S. Ocean Boulevard. Police have not released any details about the incident but said the person's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
Anthony Maurice Garner, 44, of Albermarle, North Carolina, was arrested on one count each of murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, Myrtle Beach Police Capt. Christopher Starling told News13.
Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said that Cedric Reddick, 31, of Columbia, died on the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Garner's family claimed he was acting in self defense.
Calib Reginald Odom, 24, Odom allegedly shot two people with an Orbeez gun while they were walking in the area of 3rd Avenue South and then got into a fight with the victims after he was confronted by one of them, the police report said. After the fight, witnesses told police that Odom left and headed toward the beach.
No one was hurt in the shooting.
After determining his real identity, officers also learned that he had an outstanding arrest warrant in Florida, the report said. The nature of those charges remains unclear.
No injuries were reported after a shooting in Myrtle Beach, police said on Facebook.
Officers responded to the area of 2nd Avenue S. and Ocean Boulevard for a shooting, police said. It happened just before 9 p.m.
Aaron Holston of Pickerington, Ohio, died at about 11:10 p.m. on Tuesday at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center after he was shot in the 1200 block of S. Ocean Boulevard, Willard said. Myrtle Beach police said another person was also hospitalized.
A Sea Mist resort security guard said he had no comment and did not say if the shooting happened at Sea Mist or another location on the block. Sea Mist's Quick Stop Grocery had giant locks on both front door handles.
A receptionist at the Coral Beach Resort said the shooting happened at Sea Mist but was not sure whether it happened at the motel itself or at the Sea Mist Quick Stop Grocery. She said it happened between 12th and 13th avenues.
No additional information about the shooting was immediately available.
Omar Dean Beckford was charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. Online records show he was booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on Thursday, where he remains as of this writing on a $500,000 bond.
Police responded to the 1400 block of S. Ocean Boulevard for a shooting, the warrant shows. Officers viewed security footage that showed Beckford arguing with the person before pulling out a handgun and firing several rounds in their direction.
Eleven people were hurt and one person was shot and killed in what authorities called a disturbance. The officer's name was not immediately available.
It happened just before midnight in the 900 block of North Ocean Blvd., after officers noticed a disturbance involving multiple people.
Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard on Sunday identified the person shot as 18-year-old Jerrius Davis of Bennettsville.
Saturday's deadly shooting was at least the 25th documented instance of violence either on or near Ocean Boulevard since the start of 2020.
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Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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