Myrtle Beach vacation turns to probation, manager says. Why are police ‘flushing’ Ocean Blvd?

Business owners along Myrtle Beach’s Ocean Boulevard are divided on police’s implementation of a “flushing” policy to clear large crowds along the city’s main drag.

The move by police came after an April 15 shooting that went viral on social media.

The city’s police department again carried out the tactic last weekend and plan to continue it in the next few weeks as needed.

Some business owners say that they shouldn’t be punished for crimes that take place on Ocean Boulevard. When the crowds are directed away from the area, they lose business, they say.

Other store owners declined to speak on the crime and flushing policy but wouldn’t say why.

Bryan Murphy, a police captain with Myrtle Beach Police Department, said in an email Tuesday that traffic on the boulevard usually becomes heavy on weekends in the evening time due to the millions of visitors that visit the beach.

“Our main focus is public safety, which includes reducing congestion and being able to respond quickly to emergencies,” he added.

That includes keeping road and sidewalk traffic calm, while also ensuring emergency vehicles can get through.

On April 21 and 22, the department tested the flushing method off and on between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m., Murphy said.

The plan consisted of turning southbound traffic on Ocean Boulevard toward Kings Highway at 9th Avenue North and doing the same for northbound traffic at 8th Avenue North, Murphy said.

He added that the boulevard was closed between 8th and 9th avenues. There was also an emergency access lane in the northbound lane from 9th to 16th avenues.

However, people still had access to businesses and parking lots in the area, according to Murphy.

Downtown business managers take sides

Lavelle, a manager at clothing store Wacky T’s, expressed concerns about losing business when the city flushed Ocean Boulevard after reports of crimes.

He said he doesn’t understand why people come to the beach for vacation and leave on probation.

But he added the recent incidents are nothing new, saying that’s how it usually is around this time of the year.

Another business owner, who asked not to be named, said he doesn’t agree with the city’s policy because it negatively impacts his business.

“It costs me money,” he added.

He said if more officers patrolled the boulevard on foot, there wouldn’t be as many crimes, specifically people pulling out their guns, and maybe flushing wouldn’t be needed.

Jo Baroody, who owns Daddio’s Ice Cream, understands the reason for the flush and said it hasn’t affected her business, even at her old location.

She moved her storefront from 3rd Avenue South last year and opened the new shop at 7th Avenue North in March.

“I can understand what they’re doing,” Baroody said of the police. “It’s for everyone’s own good. You can’t complain about it.”

Baroody said the recent incidents are concerning since the summer season hasn’t even started yet.

“I am worried about the safety with leaving here so late,” she said about the time she usually closes her shop. “With the crime and shootings, it’s going to become more (frequent).”

How long will police ‘flush’ Ocean Boulevard?

Flushing Ocean Boulevard isn’t a new practice, according to city spokesman Mark Kruea.

He said it’s been used in the city for 15 to 20 years.

“We will evaluate the conditions and may cancel or modify the plan as needed,” Murphy said of the tests in a Tuesday email.

He said drivers may also see more directional signs and cones near Ocean Boulevard. The department has notified Google Maps and Waze of the plan, so app users should be able to move easily through the area.

The tactic used by city police is not any different than those used by other cities across the country. However, the term is.

The word “flushing” is what city police use when talking about controlling traffic, Kruea said. It’s also been described as “turning traffic off the boulevard” or “turn the boulevard.”

Myrtle Beach city leaders speak about crime

Chief Amy Prock told city leaders in an email April 16 that Ocean Boulevard was “flushed” between 10 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. on April 15 and 16 as officers tried to keep people from congregating and worked to clear parking lots.

Prock said in the email to City Manager Jonathan “Fox” Simons that officers worked for more than four hours on April 15 to clear pedestrian and vehicle traffic on Ocean Boulevard as service calls mounted, resulting in “multiple traffic and pedestrian stops related to vehicle violations, pedestrian violation and noise resulting in arrests for driver violations, loitering, guns, and drugs.”

The email followed the April 15 incident that involved a confrontation between a truck driver and two other people, which led to a shooting along the busy boulevard. The video shows the congestion along the street as well as a number of people walking on the sidewalks.

One person is facing multiple charges in connection to the event.

Over the weekend, a nearly three-minute video posted on Myrtle Beach Police’s Facebook features Prock sitting at a table talking about crime in Myrtle Beach.

She said the department will continue to hold people accountable for any crimes that are committed, including drug use and illegally carrying guns.

“Our goal is for everyone to remain safe by living in, working in and visiting our city,” Prock said. “We are committed to doing everything we can to make this happen.”

The video follows Mayor Brenda Bethune’s statement in a text message April 19 about how people who commit crimes in Myrtle Beach will be caught.

“We have a very safe city,” Bethune said. “Unfortunately we sometimes have people who come here to do the wrong things. With over 1,000 cameras, license plate readers and increased police presence, the message is that if you commit a crime in Myrtle Beach, you will be caught.”

What took place in the social media videos?

It was a 54-second video showing the April 15 shooting incident that led to a recent flushing of the boulevard.

The video starts off with a truck driver attempting to pull off from behind a black Nissan as a woman stands in front of the truck. People can be heard yelling in the background as the truck continues to move forward toward the woman.

A man approaches the passenger side window of the vehicle, which is open, and appears to have a gun in his hand.

His hand, with the item, is hanging on the inside of the truck and is no longer visible in the video, which was posted by Alex Strickland.

After a few seconds of talking to the driver, a potential gunshot is heard. The driver then speeds off towards South Ocean Boulevard, and the man gets in the Nissan on the passenger side.

An earlier incident on Ocean Boulevard has gained over 1.5 million views on a TikTok video posted April 1. That incident shows several police officers pointing their guns as they run up to an occupied car. It then continues as a crowd of people on both sides of the road watch as the vehicle’s occupants are detained by police.

Those two people were arrested on several charges.