A popular Myrtle Beach resort has been rocked with violent crime for the second time in three months, but this time the crime was the most violent of them all: Murder. According to WBTW 13 , a local South Carolina CBS affiliate, Randy E. Banks, 49, was shot and killed at the Wave Rider Resort in the early hours of Thursday morning. Police responded to a call at 2:55 am and found Banks dead on the scene from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. As reported on Myrtle Beach Online , Banks was originally from Michigan, but had lived in Myrtle Beach for a while.
Robert Carl Ware was arrested later on Thursday morning under suspicion of murder and for possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. Ware is being held without bail. According to reports, Ware and Banks were acquaintances, but there was a dispute in Banks’ room at the resort that possibly led to his murder. Myrtle Beach Police are still investigating.
As reported on The Inquisitr , Myrtle Beach is no stranger to violent gun crime this summer. On May 25th, during the busy Memorial Day weekend, three people were shot and killed on the beach’s famed boardwalk near the Bermuda Sands Motel. The murder of Randy Banks is the second gun crime at the Wave Rider resort, when on the same holiday weekend, a brother and sister from Shelby, North Carolina were shot in their room. Both survived, and charges were never filed after the victims, witnesses and resort guests refused to cooperate with Myrtle Beach Police investigation.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a popular summer vacation spot with ample golfing, resorts, and lush, clean beaches. In January of 2013, “The Grand Strand,” as the area is called, was named one of the “most dangerous cities” in America by Neighborhoodscout . Myrtle Beach was ranked 21 out of 100, due to the numbers of violent crime based in relation to its relatively small population. According to the report, there was a one-in-seven chance of being the victim of a crime in the area. Officials have argued that the high crime numbers are indicative of the busy summer tourism season.
Whatever the reason, this summer has seen an uptick in violent crime. There were eight separate shootings during Memorial Day weekend, and the murder of Randy Banks is only the latest. With three more weeks left this summer, who knows how many more violent crimes will be reported in the resort town.
[Image courtesy of expedia.com]
