Police charge male who barricaded himself on Ocean Boulevard

Police have billed the gentleman who was the matter of a barricade problem that shut down part of Ocean Boulevard for about five hrs.

Kenneth Beachum, 33, was charged with arson, contacting in a bogus bomb danger, a wrong fire alarm, and theft immediately after barricading himself in a space in the Seaglass Tower at the Yachstman Resort Thursday in Myrtle Beach front.

Beachum, who is from Mullins, was detained right after an hours-prolonged standoff with associates of the SWAT Workforce and the Myrtle Seaside Police Division.

The standoff started when a bomb threat designed to the Olympic Pancake Residence led Myrtle Seaside law enforcement officers to the Seaglass Tower, according to a Facebook submit from the Myrtle Beach Law enforcement Department. Whilst police investigated the bomb risk, Beachum pulled a fireplace alarm, forcing lodge company to evacuate, law enforcement mentioned.

He barricaded himself in a area on the seventh floor and referred to as police. Dispatchers then spoke to Beachum on the telephone till he threw his phone off the hotel place balcony.

Myrtle Beach front law enforcement officers on-scene Thursday stated they were to begin with called to a 911 hangup.

Spectators — numerous of whom were vacationers evacuated from the Yachtsman Vacation resort — collected in streets and parking lots and viewed as at the very least a dozen SWAT Team associates stormed the Seaglass Tower. Authorities have been seen negotiating with Beachum from an adjacent balcony for hours. In the course of the course of the standoff, Beachum walked in and out of the hotel area numerous situations, likely back and forth among the balcony and the place. At a single point, Beachum confronted the crowd of specators and regulation enforcement and smoked a cigarette. At one more level, he stripped and threw his garments off the balcony onto the street below.

All-around 4:45 p.m., Beachum established fireplace to furniture in the lodge area, according to the Fb write-up. Smoke could be noticed coming out of the sliding-glass door that led to the balcony.

At the very least 4 Myrtle Beach firetrucks arrived on-scene. Firefighters and police officers entered the place “to reduce decline of lifetime or residence,” even just after sprinklers place the fireplace out, in accordance to the Fb put up.

The standoff finished when Beachum was tased on the balcony and taken into custody, Cpl. Tom Vest with the Myrtle Seaside Law enforcement Division confirmed Thursday night.

Myrtle Beach front Police Main Amy Prock commended law enforcement on their managing of the problem, according to the Facebook write-up.

“This was a speedily altering incident and expected a joint reaction from several agencies. Our partnerships and coaching resulted in a good ending, and I am proud of our group for their bravery and for safely using Beachum into custody.”