Stampede at South Carolina Motorcycle Festival Injures 19

At least 19 people were injured early Sunday in a crowd stampede at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, authorities said. The incident occurred just after 1 a.m. local time near a stage at the event. Police said an individual running through the crowd triggered the brief chain reaction.

Town Manager Titus Leaks said officers assigned to crowd control quickly calmed the crowd and restored order. No fights, weapons, or direct threats were confirmed. Horry County Fire Rescue reported that 19 people were evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries and three people were hospitalized. The agency initially described the event as a mass casualty incident.

The festival has been held every Memorial Day weekend for the past 40 years and draws motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country. Officials said the event resumed normal operations once the situation was stabilized. Leaks said the town takes any situation where individuals are harmed seriously and that the safety of residents and visitors remains the highest priority.