June 2017. Fathers Day weekend. If you know Myrtle Beach, you know that’s usually a time for melting ice cream cones and the sound of arcade games on the boardwalk. But things changed fast. Around 12:25 a.m. on a Sunday, the neon lights of Ocean Boulevard were suddenly reflecting police sirens instead of tourist signs. The Myrtle Beach mass shooting wasn't just a headline; it was a chaotic, terrifying moment captured on a Facebook Live stream that went viral before the smoke even cleared.
It was loud. It was fast. People were literally diving behind cars.
When we talk about "the" shooting in Myrtle Beach, we’re often referring to this specific Father's Day incident because of how public it was. It wasn't tucked away in a dark alley. It happened right in the heart of the tourist district, near 4th Avenue North. Six people were injured. Miraculously, nobody died right then, but the psychic weight of that night changed how the city handles security to this day. You’ve probably seen the video—the one where a crowd is gathered, a fight breaks out, and then a man pulls a gun from his pants and just starts leveling it at the crowd.
Horrifying. Truly.
Why the Myrtle Beach Mass Shooting Still Haunts the Grand Strand
Most people think of mass shootings as premeditated acts of domestic terrorism. This wasn't that. Honestly, it was something much more common and, in some ways, more frustrating: a sidewalk brawl that escalated because someone had easy access to a firearm. According to the Myrtle Beach Police Department records, the whole thing started as a physical fight between two groups of men who knew each other from the North Carolina area.
They weren't "random" targets. But the bullets didn't care.
When the shooter, identified later as Derick J. Robinson, opened fire, he wasn't just hitting his rivals. He was hitting the very fabric of the city's reputation. One of the victims was an innocent bystander. Another was the shooter himself, who was shot by an armed security guard who happened to be on the scene.
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Think about that for a second.
You have a crowded street, a fistfight, a shooter, and then a "good man with a gun" intervention, all happening within about 90 seconds. It’s a case study in how quickly urban environments can turn lethal. The police were actually just a block away. They arrived almost instantly, but "instantly" isn't fast enough when a semi-automatic handgun is involved.
The legal fallout was massive. Robinson eventually pleaded guilty to multiple counts of attempted murder. He got 25 years. But the "why" matters here because it highlights a trend in coastal resort towns where "beefs" from home are transported to vacation spots.
Breaking Down the Security Shift Since 2017
If you visit Myrtle Beach today, you’ll notice it feels... different. A bit more structured. Maybe a bit more "watched." That’s not an accident. The city basically went into crisis mode after 2017. They knew that if they didn't fix the perception of safety, the $11 billion tourism industry would crater.
They did a few specific things:
First, they poured millions into a "Real Time Crime Center." If you’re walking down Ocean Boulevard now, you are being watched by hundreds of high-definition cameras. These aren't just for show. They use license plate recognition and AI-pathing to track movements.
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Then came the barricades. You'll see those yellow "police" water-filled barriers or permanent bollards in certain areas. This was to prevent the "cruising" culture that contributed to the congestion where the shooting occurred. If cars can't move, police can't get in. If people are packed like sardines on the sidewalk, they’re sitting ducks. So, the city changed the traffic flow.
Wait, there's more. They also increased the police presence significantly during "peak" weekends. You can't throw a rock on the boardwalk now without hitting a bike patrol officer or a cruiser. It's a heavy-handed approach, sure. Some locals hate it. They say it feels like a police state. But the city's counter-argument is simple: we can't have another Father's Day 2017.
What the Media Got Wrong About the "Mass Shooting" Label
There’s a lot of debate about what constitutes a mass shooting. The Gun Violence Archive defines it as four or more people shot, excluding the shooter. By that metric, Myrtle Beach has had a few over the last decade. But the 2017 event is the one that stuck.
Why? Because of the camera.
The Facebook Live aspect turned it into a global event. We live in an era where the optics of violence are just as impactful as the violence itself. In 2020, there was another incident near 12th Avenue North where several people were shot. Again, the "mass shooting" tag was applied. But because it didn't have that "cinematic" viral video attached to it, it didn't trigger the same level of national outcry.
It's a weird quirk of the modern news cycle. A shooting is a tragedy, but a filmed shooting is a political catalyst.
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The Reality of Safety in Myrtle Beach Today
Is Myrtle Beach safe? That’s the question everyone asks on Reddit and TripAdvisor.
The honest answer? It depends on where you are and what time it is. Just like any city that swells from 35,000 permanent residents to 20 million annual visitors, Myrtle Beach has "zones." The "Golden Mile" is quiet and residential. The South End is family-oriented. The "Hot Zone" between 2nd Avenue North and 14th Avenue North is where the energy is—and where the friction happens.
If you look at the stats from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), crime in Myrtle Beach has actually trended downward in several categories over the last five years. However, the severity of incidents, specifically involving firearms, remains a point of contention.
A lot of the violence is "imported." That sounds like a cop-out, but the police data supports it. A huge percentage of arrests during these violent outbursts involve individuals who do not live in Horry County. They come for the weekend, bring their grievances with them, and leave behind a mess for the locals to clean up.
Actionable Safety Steps for Your Next Trip
You shouldn't cancel your vacation. That’s an overreaction. But you should be "street smart" in a way that people often forget to be when they're in "vacation mode."
- The 11 PM Rule: In Myrtle Beach, nothing good happens on the Boulevard after 11 p.m. Most of the violent incidents, including the 2017 shooting, happen in the post-midnight window when the bars are packed and tempers are short. If you have kids, be back at the resort by then.
- Stay North or South: If you’re worried about crowds and "vibe," stay in the North Myrtle area or the far South end near Market Common. These areas don't have the same density issues that the downtown boardwalk area does.
- Park in Lit Areas: This sounds basic, but many of the "scuffles" that lead to shootings start in the dark parking lots a block or two off the beach. Use the well-lit city garages instead of the gravel "all-day" lots.
- Trust the "Vibe": If you see a large group starting to shout or circle up, walk away. Don't stop to film it. That’s what people did in 2017, and that’s why so many bystanders were in the line of fire.
- Report, Don't Intervene: The Myrtle Beach PD is incredibly responsive. If you see a weapon or feel a situation escalating, call it in. Don't try to be the hero.
The Myrtle Beach mass shooting of 2017 served as a massive wake-up call for South Carolina tourism. It forced a sleepy beach town to adopt big-city security measures. While it's a dark chapter in the city's history, it's also the reason why there are more cops, more cameras, and more safety protocols in place today than ever before.
Understand the history. Respect the risks. Enjoy the ocean.
To stay truly informed, you can monitor the Myrtle Beach Police Department's "Crime Mapping" tool, which is public and updated regularly. It gives you a real-time look at what’s happening and where, so you can make decisions based on data rather than fear. Checking the local news outlets like WMBF or WPDE before your trip can also give you a heads-up on any "Special Event" weekends that might bring larger-than-normal crowds and increased security.