Hilton Head Island leaders set to weigh curfew, crowd dispersal ordinances after Coligny Beach shooting

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - Hilton Head Island leaders are expected to get their first look next month at two proposed ordinances aimed at improving public safety, one focused on juveniles and another on crowd control, following a July 4 incident on Coligny Beach that left eight people injured and led to six arrests.

Town Manager Marc Orlando told council members during a recent meeting that the town had already been taking steps to address safety concerns before the shooting, but additional measures are now being discussed in the wake of the violence.

What’s being considered

Orlando said the town is reviewing several potential actions over the next month to a year, including:

• A juvenile curfew ordinance (focused on unattended minors in certain locations and at certain times)
• A crowd dispersal ordinance
• Continued coordination with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office about responsibilities and current enforcement
• Exploring paid parking options at the beach
• Ongoing discussions about the possibility of creating a Hilton Head Island police department

Steps are already underway at Coligny

Town leaders said work is already moving forward on additional security infrastructure in the Coligny Beach area, including:

• Upgrading and installing more surveillance cameras
• The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is preparing to open a substation near Coligny Beach

Those steps are tied to previous public safety findings showing a rise in young adult and juvenile crime in the Coligny area over a multi-year period.

‘Specificity is needed’ on the curfew

Orlando emphasized that details will matter before any ordinance is implemented—particularly the juvenile curfew proposal.

“Specificity is needed: location, time of day, seasonal, is it still 8 p.m. or 10 p.m., is it at beach parks only or town parks,” Orlando said. “That’s not to say that 25 people can’t gather at the beach at 9 at night if they are on a family reunion. It’s unattended youth under a certain age.”

What’s next

The two ordinances are expected to be discussed at the town’s Community Service and Public Safety Committee meeting in August.

If approved there, they would advance to the Hilton Head Island Town Council for consideration.

Coligny shooting latest

As far as the July 4 shooting goes, three out of the six suspects who were arrested have bonded out of the Beaufort County Detention Center.

Those suspects are Christopher Capers, Amarion Riley, and Jacob Malik Johnson.

Marcello Royal, Quazeir Davis, and Jayden Hawes had their bonds deferred and remain in the Beaufort County Detention Center.