Mother of teen killed in Myrtle Beach shooting questions city officials’ narrative
(WPDE) — The mother of the teen killed in an officer-involved shooting in Downtown Myrtle Beach last weekend is questioning the narrative being shared by city officials.
Jaeishala Fox is the mother of 18-year-old Jerrius Davis, who was killed during the incident last Saturday at 11:50 p.m. in the 900 block of North Ocean Boulevard.
Fox says she didn’t watch the news conference held by the City of Myrtle Beach on Wednesday, but heard from relatives what was said.
Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune and Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock publicly spoke for the first time since the shooting, sharing updates on the ongoing investigation and answering questions from members of the media.
Fox said some of the statements made during the news conference were inconsistent with what she’s being told about the investigation.
During the news conference, Chief Prock said that 11 people were shot on Saturday, and the ages of the victims ranged from 13 to 43 years old. She later clarified and said that while one person is in critical condition from a gunshot wound, the result of the other 10 injuries is “gunshot related,” but that does not mean 11 people were shot.
SLED cites gunshot-related injuries as including shrapnel, graze, or gunshot injuries. The particulars of each victim’s injuries are currently unknown, as SLED has not shared that information. According to Chief Prock, body-worn cameras on worn during the shooting, but the footage will not be released at this time as it is considered evidence.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is leading the investigation into the incident on Saturday, though it has not released many details.
Fox and her family met with SLED agents Thursday morning, where she informed them she wants to see any and all surveillance video of the crime scene before she jumps to any conclusions. She added that SLED agents said they have a mountain of evidence and videos to review before the investigation is complete.
Fox said she’s just mentally exhausted, but she wants people to know that Jerrius was a good, young man.
Officials with the Bennettsville Police Dept. said they’ve never had any problems with Jerrius and didn’t even know who he was because he’d never been on their radar.
Fox said she just wants the truth to come out and will continue to be the voice for her son.
“My baby would have never, ever pulled his gun out. Ever, unless he knew there was a threat to him. Unless he felt harm. Unless he felt like something was fixing to happen to him. And I know this 1000% sure,” Fox stated.
Fox said her son suffered from Sickle Cell Anemia and had just gotten his treatment in Charleston two days before he was shot and killed. She says Jerrius and his 16-year-old brother went to the beach with a close friend and their parents for spring break.
She had just talked to her son not long before the shooting, and Fox says he was happy and upbeat. She said her 16-year-old and a friend heard the gunshots and ran toward Jerrius, but police detained them.
“He heard the gunshots, him and a friend ran back. When they ran back, all they saw was Chuckie lying on the ground. They tried to get to him. The police detained them. Put them in handcuffs. Put them in the back of a police car. And my son was sitting there the whole time watching his brother die,” Fox said.
She said she knew Jerrius had a weapon. South Carolina’s Open Carry Law says anyone 18 or older can carry a weapon without a permit.
“It’s so sad in today’s time that an 18-year-old has to have a weapon to feel like they’ve got to protect themselves. But that’s the world we live in now. That’s the country we live in. We have to adapt to that. My baby asked me ‘Could he get a weapon?’ And I told him ‘no. I didn’t want him to have one right now.’ Because I wanted him to go to the classes as I did and everything. And I taught him the things from what the class said. You don’t brandish a weapon unless there’s a threat to you. Unless you feel your life is in danger,” Fox explained.
