MYRTLE BEACH, SC – A Myrtle Beach police officer involved in a late-night shooting earlier this year will not face criminal charges and is returning to full duty after an investigation determined the use of force was justified under state law.
PFC Brandon O’Rourke, who had been on paid administrative duty since the April 26 shooting, will resume his active role with the Myrtle Beach Police Department on Friday. The decision follows a review by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and 15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson, who announced he would not pursue charges after determining the officer acted within the bounds of the law in response to an elevated threat.
The shooting occurred around 11:50 p.m. on Ocean Boulevard when, according to authorities, 17-year-old Jerrius Davis fired multiple rounds toward a group of people. Responding officers, including O’Rourke, engaged the suspect. Davis’s actions were confirmed in the solicitor’s findings as posing an imminent danger to others.
SLED conducted an independent investigation into the use of force, as is protocol, and submitted its findings to the solicitor’s office. In a letter, Solicitor Richardson cited the “objective reasonableness standard” and noted that the threat level justified the officer’s response. No prosecution will follow.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department also conducted a parallel internal investigation and, with the conclusion of both reviews, has cleared O’Rourke to return to full active duty. While the unredacted investigative report was shared with the department this week, it contains confidential juvenile information prohibited from public release under South Carolina statute 63-19-2030. A redacted version is being prepared by SLED for eventual release.
Key Points
- PFC Brandon O’Rourke will return to active duty after being cleared in an officer-involved shooting
- Shooting occurred April 26 when a 17-year-old suspect opened fire on Ocean Boulevard
- Prosecutors declined to charge the officer, citing justified use of force
A Myrtle Beach officer is back on patrol after a teen opened fire in a chaotic beachfront scene.
