MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – As Memorial Day weekend gets under way on the Grand Strand, a man was shot and killed at a downtown Myrtle Beach motel.
It happened around 2:30 Friday morning at the Fountainbleu Inn on Flagg Street.
Horry County Deputy Coroner Darris Fowler says Pierre Allen Died. He was 23 from Williamsburg County.
A person was shot and wounded two years ago inside a room at the same motel during Memorial Day weekend.
Three people also died in a separate shooting at another motel that same weekend.
Those two shootings prompted a lot of talk about ending Bikefest, even though they happened in Myrtle Beach and not Atlantic Beach.
News 13 asked police if the shooting this Friday was related to Bikefest, and Lt. Joey Crosby with Myrtle Beach police says they are still investigating and questioning witnesses to see.
Down the stretch of Ocean Boulevard Friday, officers could be seen patrolling at nearly every corner.
“All of the officers that came to assist us will start their tours and duties. So, that means those back streets, those officers will be working those back streets, patrolling back and forth. So, there will be an increased visible presence of law enforcement officers,” said Crosby.
Law enforcement from all across the state started patrolling at 6:00 Friday morning.
“If you have a large crowd in a small space, you tend to have problems at times, which is certainly why we do what we do year-round by asking people to keep moving up and down the sidewalks as well as the motor vehicles on the roadway. So, the loop helps to keep those individuals moving up and down the sidewalk, and also on the roadway,” said Crosby.
Violet Lucas has been participating in Bikefest for more than twenty years. She calls it a family reunion and says she’s worried the violence that happened Friday morning could give the bikers a bad name.
“I’m actually hoping that the rest of the weekend stays peaceful and calm. We’re actually hoping that the distinction in what happened does not bring stigmas that attach that it’s bikers or bike related and understand that the bikers are here for the comradery and fellowship with one another,” said Lucas.
Crosby says they will continue to stick with their plan for the weekend for the bike loop begin at 10:00 Friday night, and they hope additional patrols along Ocean Boulevard and the back streets on Friday night will help curb the violence moving forward.
