SLED: Suspect in shooting that killed a Myrtle Beach police officer, injured another, is deceased

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - The suspect involved in a deadly officer-involved shooting in Myrtle Beach is deceased, according to authorities.

Tommy Crosby, spokesperson for the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, confirmed that Myrtle Beach officers were responding to a domestic call Saturday night when shots were fired. Myrtle Beach Police PFC Jacob Hancher was killed in the shooting.

A second officer was also injured, according to SLED. That officer was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. That officer was released from the hospital on Sunday, according to Myrtle Beach Police Cpl. Tom Vest. No other details about their condition were released.

“Following the exchange of gunfire, the suspect was discovered deceased. No other injuries were reported,” a SLED press release stated.

Hancher’s passing was announced early Sunday morning by department officials.

“Today we are mourning the loss of one of our officers,” Chief Amy Prock stated early Sunday morning. “PFC Jacob Hancher was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call for service.”

According to the MBPD, Hancher had four years as a community officer and just under one year as a police officer.

"Today we are mourning the loss of one of our officers, PFC Jacob Hancher was killed in the line of duty while...
Posted by Myrtle Beach Police Department on Sunday, October 4, 2020

MBPD said the shooting occurred at 10 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of 14th Avenue South. Officials added that officers are investigating, and there was a large law enforcement presence in the area.

SLED agents were called in to investigate, according to Crosby.

Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune took to Facebook early Sunday morning, asking the community to “join me in lifting up our MBPD family.”

“May God bless everyone affected by this senseless tragedy,” Bethune wrote.

Please join me in lifting up our MBPD family. And pray especially for the family of our officer who was killed in the line of duty. May God bless everyone affected by this senseless tragedy.
Posted by Brenda Bethune Mayor of Myrtle Beach on Sunday, October 4, 2020

According to a Facebook post from the Catholic Church of St. James in Conway, Hancher was a parishioner there who served as a missionary on a 2017 mission to Honduras.

“For those who were able to serve along side him, they learned of his kindness and selfless service,” the post stated.

St. James family, It is with great sadness that we must inform you of the passing of one of our own parishioners,...
Posted by Catholic Church of St. James, Conway on Sunday, October 4, 2020

Saturday night’s shooting was the 37th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2020, according to SLED. It is the first this year involving Myrtle Beach Police Department.

In 2019, there were 45 officer-involved shootings across the state, according to information from SLED. One involved the Myrtle Beach Police Department.