New charges added against North Myrtle Beach officer-involved shooting suspect

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – New charges were filed against the man accused of leading authorities on an hours-long manhunt in North Myrtle Beach.

Authorities said 40-year-old William Alston opened fire early Thursday morning when North Myrtle Beach police officers tried to serve warrants on him at a home on Oyster Catcher Drive.

Two officers fired back, but no one was hit during the exchange, according to police.

Alston escaped and sparked an hours-long search for him in the Barefoot Resort area and then in the Briarcliffe RV Resort.

RELATED COVERAGE | SLED investigating officer-involved shooting in North Myrtle Beach, suspect in custody

He was taken into custody around 1 p.m. and then brought to the hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the foot, according to the State Law Enforcement Division.

Once in custody, Alston was found to be in possession of a GLOCK 9mm handgun.

According to the SLED report, 9mm casings were found in the area where Alston fired at officers. Based on those findings, SLED says Alston “did commit the offense of attempted murder.”

Alston was booked into jail at 6:18 p.m. Thursday.

His original charges were first-degree assault and battery, kidnapping and first-degree domestic violence, which were the warrants that officers were serving him on Thursday morning.

WMBF News obtained the reports which show two domestic-related incidents that led to officers serving those warrants against Alston.

On Friday afternoon, jail records show two counts of attempted murder, possession of anabolic steroids and possession of a weapon during a violent crime were added to this list of charges.

SLED is now investigating the officer-involved shooting.

Check with WMBF News for more on this developing story.

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