Myrtle Beach Nears Permanent Stricter Teen Curfew After Violence

Myrtle Beach officials are moving to implement a stricter curfew on minors in response to a surge in youth violence, including recent fatal shootings on Ocean Boulevard. The new ordinance proposes a 9 p.m. curfew for those under 18 in the Central Business District and Ocean Boulevard areas, with exceptions for work and religious events, holding parents accountable for their children's whereabouts. This curfew was temporarily enacted over the Fourth of July weekend and is now being considered for permanent enforcement, with city council votes scheduled to finalize the measure. The decision follows 137 juvenile arrests since March, many involving violence, drugs, or weapons, prompting city leaders to declare upcoming summer weekends as extraordinary events to enforce the curfew immediately. Business owners and officials support the earlier curfew to ensure safety and maintain a family-friendly environment in the main entertainment district. City leaders emphasize that addressing youth violence requires cultural change and parental responsibility, not just enforcement of curfew rules.