It was supposed to be a standard Memorial Day weekend celebration. You know the vibe—warm May air, the sound of the Intracoastal Waterway, and a private charter boat packed with about 124 people ready to kick off the summer. But everything changed in an instant. Around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 25, 2025, the peaceful "fishing village" atmosphere of Little River was shattered by gunfire.
If you’ve been following the Little River SC shooting, you know the headlines were chaotic. Initial reports were all over the place. Was it a mass shooting on land? Was it on the water? Honestly, the reality was a messy, terrifying mix of both that left 11 people injured and a community looking for answers.
The Night Everything Went Wrong on Watson Avenue
The incident kicked off on a docked private charter boat near Watson Avenue. This wasn't a random act of violence, according to the Horry County Police Department (HCPD). It basically stemmed from a fight. One minute people are enjoying a DJ and a three-hour cruise, and the next, an argument turns into a nightmare.
Ten people were actually hit by bullets. An eleventh person was injured in the scramble but wasn't shot. Imagine the panic—over a hundred people crammed into a confined space on a boat, nowhere to run except the dock, while shots are ringing out. Randy Evans, a father of one of the victims, told The Post and Courier that his 25-year-old son had to use his own bathing suit as a makeshift tourniquet. That’s the kind of quick thinking that saves lives when ambulances are still miles away.
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By the Numbers: The Toll of the Incident
- Total Victims: 11 people were treated at local hospitals.
- Gunshot Wounds: 10 confirmed.
- Condition: Several victims were listed in critical but stable condition immediately following the event.
- Location: The boat dock near the Intracoastal Waterway, roughly 20 miles northeast of Myrtle Beach.
The Arrests and the Investigation
For a few days, things felt pretty tense in Horry County. Police were calling it an "isolated incident," which is usually cop-speak for "we think we know who did it and they aren't shooting random strangers." But for the victims sitting in hospital beds, that didn't make them feel any safer.
Eventually, the law caught up with the suspects. Shawan Shamarion Williams, a 19-year-old former Navy sailor, was nabbed all the way in Lake County, Illinois. He was extradited back to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center to face multiple counts of attempted murder. But he wasn't alone. A 16-year-old from North Carolina was also hit with attempted murder charges.
It’s wild how far someone will run after a moments-long lapse in judgment. Williams was thousands of miles away before the handcuffs finally came out.
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The Bizarre Side Story You Might Have Missed
In the middle of all this high-stakes drama, there was a secondary incident that sounds like something out of a movie. A North Myrtle Beach police officer was rushing to the scene to help out. While he was at a marina about three miles away from the primary Little River SC shooting site, his service weapon accidentally discharged.
He shot himself in the leg.
He ended up in the hospital in stable condition. It just goes to show how much adrenaline and chaos were pumping through the area that night. Even the professionals were on edge.
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Why This Specific Shooting Hit the Community So Hard
Little River isn't Myrtle Beach. It’s not the place where you expect "Black Bike Week" overflow or massive brawls. It’s known for the Blue Crab Festival, casino boats, and quiet docks. This event felt like a violation of that local peace.
There was also a lot of confusion regarding the event itself. A flyer had been circulating online for a party with a DJ. Many people who bought tickets on an event website had no idea who the organizers even were. They just wanted a Sunday night cruise.
Lessons for Moving Forward
If you're heading out to the Grand Strand or planning a boat charter anytime soon, there are some practical takeaways here. Safety isn't just about the life jackets on the wall.
- Vetting Organizers: If you're buying tickets for a "private" event on a public platform, check the history of the organizers. If they don't have a physical business address or a track record, be cautious.
- Situational Awareness: On a boat, your exits are limited. Always know where the gangway is and where the nearest land-access point is located.
- Emergency Preparedness: Hearing about a 25-year-old using a swimsuit as a tourniquet is a wake-up call. Keeping a basic "Stop the Bleed" kit in your car or boat bag is never a bad idea.
- Follow Official Channels: During an active situation, rumors on X (formerly Twitter) or Facebook groups often spread faster than the truth. The Horry County Police Department’s social media ended up being the most reliable source for real-time updates during this investigation.
The legal process for Williams and the other suspects is still winding through the South Carolina court system as of early 2026. For the victims, the physical wounds might have closed, but the memory of that Memorial Day weekend is going to stick around for a long time.
Keep an eye on the Horry County Clerk of Court records if you're looking for upcoming trial dates or further sentencing details.