At least 19 people were injured in a stampede around 1:05 a.m. on May 24 near a stage area along South Ocean Boulevard at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina [1, 2]. Emergency crews and multiple law enforcement agencies responded immediately to the scene, declaring a mass casualty incident protocol to coordinate the emergency response [1].
Three people with injuries were transported to hospital while others self-transported; officials reported that no injuries appeared life-threatening [1, 2]. The stampede began when one individual suddenly started running, triggering a brief chain reaction that caused crowd panic lasting only seconds [1, 2]. Titus Leaks, acting town manager, said, "There was no confirmed fight, weapons, or direct public safety threat. This was a brief crowd panic caused by someone running" [2].
The Black Pearl Festival has a history of over 40 years and is held annually on Memorial Day weekend [1, 2]. The event draws visitors nationwide. Reports vary on crowd size, with Fox News citing over 400,000 attendees and Yahoo Taiwan stating a maximum of 40,000 people [1, 2].
Several crowd-control measures had been implemented throughout the weekend, including temporary suspension of incoming traffic on Friday and Saturday nights [1]. After EMS treated those injured on site, the festival resumed normal operations [1].
The town of Atlantic Beach issued a statement expressing concern for those affected, saying, "We want to express our sincere concern for anyone who was injured or impacted. Any situation where individuals are harmed is taken seriously, and our thoughts are with those affected as they recover" [1].
Officials plan to review the incident with public safety partners to identify improvements for future events [1].
