19 people hurt, three hospitalized in Atlantic Beach stampede during bike festival: Officials

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Nearly 20 people were injured Sunday morning after what authorities described as a “stampede incident” in Atlantic Beach.

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It happened just after 1 a.m. at a stage area near South Ocean Boulevard. None of the injuries are life-threatening. Three people were transported to local hospitals.

“Any situation where individuals are harmed is taken seriously, and our thoughts are with those affected as they recover,” interim town manager Titus Leaks said in a statement on Sunday, confirming the accident happened during the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival.

Titus said town officials were working closely with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, state Highway Patrol, Horry County Sheriff’s Office and EMS agencies who all were “strategically positioned, actively monitoring the crowd and prepared to respond immediately if needed.”

Leaks said the incident was triggered by a person who began running, causing a chain reaction within the crowd that “lasted only seconds.” There were no reports of fights, weapons or direct threats to public safety.

‘Proactive safety measures’

Leaks said town officials activated measures throughout the weekend aimed at public safety. On Friday, all incoming traffic was suspended at 11 p.m. and a stage shut down early for crowd control.

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Traffic was suspended again at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“These actions contributed to safe and incident-free conditions on prior nights and reflect the town’s commitment to proactive planning and crowd management,” Leaks said. “It is unfortunate that this brief incident is overshadowing the many safe, enjoyable and well-executed events of the weekend that are not being widely reported.”

The festival, also known as Black Bike Week, began in 1980 and brings some 400,000 people onto the Grand Strand annually.

“The continued growth of this event and its positive economic impact on the Grand Strand are a direct reflection of the safe and enjoyable environment that has been consistently maintained,” the town said in its statement.

Branden Brown, a former firefighter and EMT in Horry County who’s running for Congress, said Sunday the event should be shut down permanently.

“I know exactly what it looks like when emergency resources are pushed to the absolute brink during bike fest. Our police officers and first responders should not have to risk their lives every single year for an event that brings chaos to our neighborhoods. Why do local leaders keep allowing this to happen? When did protecting our home become secondary to hosting a week of violence and destruction,” he said in a Facebook post. “Our families and local business owners deserve to feel safe. It is time to stand up for our community and put an end to this event for good.”

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