Coroner identifies man found dead on Hilton Head beach
The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office released the name of the man found dead on Hilton Head Island’s South Forest Beach early Saturday morning.
Officials identified the man as Grant Polston, 23, of Suwanee, Georgia.
Polston died on the scene at South Forest Beach on Saturday, the coroner’s office said in a statement.
The official cause of Polston’s death is pending awaiting an autopsy scheduled for Friday at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, the coroner’s office said.
Previously, police reported that Polston “appeared to have suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is the investigating police agency, the coroner’s office said.
The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette do not typically write about suicides or suicide attempts unless there is a compelling reason to do so, such as occurring in a public setting or involving a newsworthy subject. If you or someone you know is suffering, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 10:53 AM.
