N.C. man accused of shooting, killing 23-year-old in Myrtle Beach area condo

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - A 23-year-old from North Carolina was shot and killed Saturday night in the Myrtle Beach area, according to police.

Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said Jordan Drake of Wingate, N.C. was killed inside a condo just before 7:30 p.m. along Hartland Drive.

A Horry County police report shows that officers were called for reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a Horry County Fire Rescue crew on the scene, and they were gathered around Drake “who was face down with a significant amount of blood around him.”

According to the report, witnesses “were very distraught and running around the front” of the residence.

Robert Stewart and Eliana Dasnevas have had a home in the area for about two decades and said that kind of violence in the community is out of the ordinary.

“Quite shocked actually because I consider this a very quiet neighborhood,” said Stewart.

“For over two years we never heard of any incidents,” Dasneves said.

Based on witness statements and physical evidence, Horry County police arrested Mitchell Sykes, 21, of Monroe, N.C., a few hours after the deadly shooting.

He is charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Sykes is currently in jail with no bond.

But despite someone being behind bars for the crime, neighbors are still concerned.

“We just can never be too careful anymore and you expect things to go a certain way and you expect peace and law-abiding citizens but it’s a different world we live in,” Stewart said.

The motive behind the shooting is still unknown.

WMBF News reached out to the Horry County Police Department for a comment or interview in regard to the case.

A spokesperson would only say the investigation is still very active and ongoing and that there are no new details at this time.

Copyright 2023 WMBF. All rights reserved.