No police officers shot in Hilton Head despite online rumors, officials say

HILTON HEAD S.C. (WTOC) - There have been no reports of a shooting on Hilton Head and no officers have been injured, officials say, despite online reports to the contrary.

In a media advisory, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office say it “has been made aware of a post circulated today, September 23, via the ‘Safety Alerts’ feature on the Nextdoor platform.”

According to officials, the post claims that “a police officer was shot near Beach City Road, with the suspect reportedly fleeing into the woods.”

The sheriff’s office says additional unverified reports have referenced an incident involving Walmart.

“These claims are completely false,” the sheriff’s office says. “There have been no reports of a shooting in the area today, and no law enforcement officers have been injured.”

“We want to assure the public that if there were ever a confirmed threat to public safety, such as a shooting or an injured officer, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office would immediately notify residents through official channels, including Everbridge alerts and our verified social media platforms.”

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office also says, “We urge the public to avoid spreading unverified information online and to rely on official sources for accurate updates.”