Latest news with #SouthCarolinaLawEnforcement
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Lock it down:' Dashcam footage gives look into major North Myrtle Beach police response on night of accidental shooting
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — By the time North Myrtle Beach police arrived at the Harbourgate Marina Club on the night of May 25 for reports of an officer shot, tensions were already running high. Just a few minutes earlier, a mass shooting broke out in nearby Little River, and it was impossible to know in real time whether the two incidents were connected. More than six hours of dashcam video obtained by News13 through a Freedom of Information Act request shine a light on how those chaotic several hours in North Myrtle Beach played out. Ultimately, authorities would determine that the officer — whose name still has not been released — accidently shot himself in the leg twice from his own rifle. An incident report also provided to News13 says that at the time of the gun went off, the officer 'had both of his hands on the gate, which was confirmed by later video evidence.' Body camera and witness footage showing that moment has not yet been made public. News13 has requested both from the department but have yet to hear back. North Myrtle Beach police say officer accidentally shot himself in leg during Little River shooting response While the dashcam footage portrays a chaotic response, it's often unclear whether radio communications refer to the officer's shooting or the incident on the party boat on Watson Avenue near Harbourgate Marina. Just before 9:45 p.m., an officer is heard on a police radio giving orders as he and others rush to the marina. 'When you come to the scene, lock it down.' 'Let's get somebody on the swing bridge, too.' 'Make sure we lock down all egresses to Cherry Grove, too.' Minutes later, the officer makes a request. 'Give us some info. Give us a description or something.' 'All we know is shots fired, and he got shot in the leg,' another officer says. Officials then decided to use a Hampton Inn parking lot as a command post while law enforcement built up their presence. By 9:46 p.m., a thermal drone was put into the air, searching around the bridge and nearby parking lots. 'Until we figure out what's going on, everybody stay still,' an officer said. An ambulance arrived at nearly the same time; so did a South Carolina Law Enforcement tactical team. 'All units, watch for crossfire. We're getting ready for SLED's [tactical] team right now. Hold your posts, keep it friendly,' an officer says. It's now 10:40 p.m., and officers are seen with rifles drawn, taking cover behind a vehicle. Possible movement had been detected inside a houseboat, and authorities aren't taking any chances. Dashcam footage shows a ballistic shield being draped across the front of a South Carolina Highway Patrol cruiser before a trooper gives commands. 'Occupants of the houseboat, the blue-and-white houseboat, this is the state police,' he says. 'Come outside with your hands up. Come outside with your hands up. Do it now. We are not going away.' On the left side of the screen, a flash of light can be seen in the air — a telltale signature of the thermal drone that had been previously deployed. A few minutes before 11 p.m., an officer radios with a situational update. 'Right now, we are flying a drone into the target's location that's a houseboat. We also are doing extract. About eight boats down, there's a female that's on the vessel, and they've extracted her and moved her out', the officer says. 'If the drone sees nothing on that boat, we're going to clear that boat with a team and a K9, and then we're going to use assets there to go boat-by-boat and clear every single boat in that marina. We have a perimeter set up,' he continues. A city police report said the scene was eventually handed over to SLED. In the hours of footage News13 obtained, it does not include the moment officials learned the officer shot himself and stood down. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. * * * Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
SLED breaks up Pee Dee dog fighting ring, seizes hundreds of animals along with drugs, weapons
Editor's note: This story describes dog fighting and its aftermath. Some may find details disturbing. MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Authorities last week dismantled a multi-county dog fighting ring in the Pee Dee that led to more than 100 animals being seized along with large amounts of drugs and weapons. 'We are investigating dog fighting in every corner of South Carolina right now,' South Carolina Law Enforcement chief Mark Keel said at a Monday news conference, where he announced the arrests of 11 people tied to the crime at locations in Dillon and Marion counties. . Keel said 10 search warrants were executed on April 2, and the following was recovered: 160 dogs 55 weapons $69,700 in cash 990 fentanyl pills 2,266 ecstasy pills 2 grams of ketamine 11 grams of crack-cocaine 1 kilogram of cocaine 11 pounds of marijuana The following people were arrested: Robert Kendale Adams, 41, on charges of animal fighting, criminal conspiracy, ill treatment of animals, trafficking marijuana and possession of less than one gram of meth James Maurice Bethea, 50, on charges of criminal conspiracy, ill treatment of animals and animal fighting Anthony Dante Gause, 44, on charges of criminal conspiracy, animal fighting and ill treatment of animals Christopher Terrell Jordan, 32, on charges of animal fighting, ill treatment of animals, criminal conspiracy, possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain crimes, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of crack cocaine, possession of ketamine, possession of marijuana, possession of oxycodone, possession of alprazolam, possession of a stolen pistol, trafficking cocaine, trafficking fentanyl and trafficking MDMA Jonathon Ja'Teil Lester, 22, on charges of animal fighting and three counts of ill treatment of animals Larry Darnel Mack Jr., 49, on charges of animal fighting and ill treatment of animals Sammy Junior McCormick, 45, on charges of animal fighting and ill treatment of animals Gavin Mandell Miles, 44, on charges of unlawfully placing a child at risk, animal fighting, ill treatment of animals, possession of cocaine base 2nd offense, possession of a Controlled II substance, possession of a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy Blake Alexander Rogers, 29, on charges of animal fighting and ill treatment of animals Tyquan Tymore Rogers, 24, on a charge of criminal conspiracy Wade Rodeon Shipman, 61, on a charge of criminal conspiracy 'SLED agents who work dogfighting cases routinely find guns and money, and in this case having guns and drugs unsecured where a child could have access to them,' Keel said. Dog fighting is a felony in South Carolina, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for each count. It's also illegal to possess associated equipment or attend an event. Since 2023 when lawmakers created a dog fighting unit under SLED, more than 500 animals have been rescued — leading to 116 arrests on more than 470 charges, Keel said. The problem is particularly bad in the Pee Dee, according to SLED stats. Of the 478 investigations carried out by its dog fighting unit, 203 have been in Darlington, Dillon and Marion counties — or 43%. The figure jumps to 243 when Georgetown County is included. Neither Florence or Horry counties have had any reported dog fighting incidents over the past two years but in 2019, authorities arrested four people in Aynor and seized 18 dogs. Columbia-based veterinarian Jennifer Bonovich, who specializes in forensic examinations and often works with law enforcement, said the barbarism of dog fighting is almost impossible to comprehend for most people. 'The fights are violent, vicious and can last minutes, and they can last hours. Blood loss, punctures and teeth are torn out. Bones are crushed, fractured,' she said. 'All of this while members of your community are watching, and they're cheering. They've got a lot of money on who's going to win.' Gov. Henry McMaster, who as attorney general in the early 2000s oversaw one of the biggest dog fighting cases ever, said the blood sport is a blemish on the state he loves. 'This is an unspeakable thing that's happening in our state,' he said. 'These dogs have been raised and made into mean animals, strong and ready to fight. When they get into that pit, usually only one gets out.' In 2010, the state's Parole Board voted 5-2 in favor of David Tant's release six years into a 40-year prison sentence for breeding and fighting pit bulls. During his trial, McMaster said jurors were shown footage of dog fighting — forcing the court clerk to leave in tears. 'It'll make you cry. I've seen the videos. It'll make you mad,' McMaster said. 'There's blood and parts of animals all over that carpet. It's as horrible as anything you'll ever see.' SLED and local law enforcement officials in the Pee Dee worked closely the ASPCA, who had teams on the ground to observe conditions, said CEO Matthew Bershadker. 'They found dogs that were severely underweight, some without access to food and water. Many had medical issues and scarring that is consistent with dog fighting,' he said. 'These dogs are victims of the worst kind of human betrayal. Their loyalty is twisted into violence for entertainment, for profit. Arrest warrants, photo and video evidence provided Monday to News13 by SLED and the ASPCA show visibly upset dogs, poor living conditions and hints of the fighting that took place around them. The warrants also describe drugs and guns left out in the open. Adams, for example, owned 27 dogs at a Hamer location that were 'constantly tethered by heavy chains fixed to metal objects on the ground, leaving little room for movement.' Many of them were also scarred, and a dead puppy was found on his property. Authorities charged Miles with unlawfully placing a child at risk because he was possession of narcotics and a gun at the home he shares with a juvenile, according to warrants. Lester had a black pit bull in a shed behind his Dillon home with an 'actively bleeding wound' and severe facial, chest and leg scarring, SLED said. 'It's not just the fights that are so cruel. It's the life in between. Dogs used in fighting live lives defined by suffering,' Bershadker said. In his January State of the State address, McMaster asked lawmakers to give SLED an extra $500,000 to boost its dog fighting efforts. And last year, the General Assembly approved a cost of care bill that allows nonprofits or other agencies caring for seized animals to sue their original owners as a way to offset expenses. Bonovich, the veterinarian, said a fighting dog's entire world is the small dirt circle created by its heavy chain — sometimes letting them come within inches of a companion and others trapping them where they stand. 'There are fates worse than death,' she said. 'And that's living this life.' * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. * * * Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Man called a ‘predator' during Nancy Mace's ‘scorched earth' House speech hits back at allegations
Brian Musgrave has hit back at GOP firebrand Nancy Mace after she called him and three others 'predators' during a speech House floor last month. During the speech, Mace, a congresswoman from South Carolina, accused her former fiancé Patrick Bryant of rape and claimed that he and three other men, including Musgrave, recorded sex acts without her consent. She displayed their names, hometowns and photos on a placard alongside the words 'predators' and 'stay away from.' Shortly before the speech, Musgrave said he got a text from an unknown person stating that he was about to be mentioned in the House by Mace. 'First reaction was, what could that even be? It just didn't make any sense,' Musgrave told CNN. 'I couldn't think of a context where I would be named in a floor speech by Nancy Mace at all.' 'I rise today to call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it,' said Mace. 'Today, I'm going scorched earth.' Musgrave categorically rejected the allegations when speaking to CNN and denied having witnessed the alleged crimes mentioned by Mace. A representative for Bryant also rejected all 'criminal allegations' in a statement to CNN. Musgrave is an old friend of Bryant and he said he doesn't believe the allegations against him. Mace claimed that she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos when Bryant gave her access to his phone during their time as a couple. She went on to claim that the assaults - that first came to light in November 2023 - had gone on for 'over a decade, almost 20 years.' South Carolina Law Enforcement told the outlet that they are investigating, and that the subject of their inquiries is Bryant. CNN also confirmed that the videos do exist, although they are unable to verify their contents and have not reviewed any of them. Musgrave said the impact of last month's speech has been 'catastrophic.' 'For the rest of my life, when someone Googles 'Brian Musgrave' this is going to be the thing that comes up,' said Musgrave. 'I'm completely uncertain what tomorrow is going to be business-wise.' 'Our lives have been completely upended. We will never be able to go back to the way things were for us, which was nice and quiet and happy,' Musgrave added. 'He's nowhere near any of those things that she was accusing him of,' Musgrave's wife Jen told CNN. 'Anyone who knows him, there's just no way it would ever be possible so to have someone say something like that, in public, it just blew my mind.' 'It made me mad to think that someone could say that without an ounce of truth behind it,' she said.
The Independent
10-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Man called a ‘predator' during Nancy Mace's ‘scorched earth' House speech hits back at allegations
Brian Musgrave has hit back at GOP firebrand Nancy Mace after she called him and three others 'predators' during a speech House floor last month. During the speech, Mace, a congresswoman from South Carolina, accused her former fiancé Patrick Bryant of rape and claimed that he and three other men, including Musgrave, recorded sex acts without her consent. She displayed their names, hometowns and photos on a placard alongside the words 'predators' and 'stay away from.' Shortly before the speech, Musgrave said he got a text from an unknown person stating that he was about to be mentioned in the House by Mace. 'First reaction was, what could that even be? It just didn't make any sense,' Musgrave told CNN. 'I couldn't think of a context where I would be named in a floor speech by Nancy Mace at all.' 'I rise today to call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it,' said Mace. 'Today, I'm going scorched earth.' Musgrave categorically rejected the allegations when speaking to CNN and denied having witnessed the alleged crimes mentioned by Mace. A representative for Bryant also rejected all 'criminal allegations' in a statement to CNN. Musgrave is an old friend of Bryant and he said he doesn't believe the allegations against him. Mace claimed that she found more than 10,000 hidden camera videos and photos when Bryant gave her access to his phone during their time as a couple. She went on to claim that the assaults - that first came to light in November 2023 - had gone on for 'over a decade, almost 20 years.' South Carolina Law Enforcement told the outlet that they are investigating, and that the subject of their inquiries is Bryant. CNN also confirmed that the videos do exist, although they are unable to verify their contents and have not reviewed any of them. Musgrave said the impact of last month's speech has been 'catastrophic.' 'For the rest of my life, when someone Googles 'Brian Musgrave' this is going to be the thing that comes up,' said Musgrave. 'I'm completely uncertain what tomorrow is going to be business-wise.' 'Our lives have been completely upended. We will never be able to go back to the way things were for us, which was nice and quiet and happy,' Musgrave added. 'He's nowhere near any of those things that she was accusing him of,' Musgrave's wife Jen told CNN. 'Anyone who knows him, there's just no way it would ever be possible so to have someone say something like that, in public, it just blew my mind.' 'It made me mad to think that someone could say that without an ounce of truth behind it,' she said.
