Crisis situation in Old Town Bluffton results in evacuation of Promenade Sunday evening
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and Bluffton Police Department responded to a welfare check Sunday evening that resulted in the evacuation of The Promenade in Bluffton and a nearly two-hours-long crisis negotiation.
At around 5 p.m. deputies received a call about a person in distress traveling in the Bluffton area by golf cart. Deputies were told the man was armed.
At approximately 6 p.m., the man was located by Sheriff’s deputies and Bluffton police officers. The man, whose identity has not been released, was sitting in the golf cart in the Promenade area of Old Town Bluffton, armed with a handgun. The police evacuated nearby businesses and rerouted traffic away from the incident.
Crisis negotiators and the Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team were called to assist and the SWAT Team was able to safely detain the man at around 7:45 p.m.
No one was injured and the man was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, police say.
No charges have been discussed at this time because the main focus was getting the man help, according to Sgt. Bonifacio Perez, Public Information Officer for the Bluffton Police Department.
The Sheriff’s Office declined to discuss any possible motivation for the man, as he is currently receiving medical treatment.
This story was originally published July 17, 2023 at 9:37 AM.
