Suspect is accused of racially abusing a teenager in Horry County

WMBF News reporter Ale Espinosa will have more on this story on WMBF News starting at 5 p.m.

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – Police are investigating after a suspect allegedly used racial slurs before attacking a teenager in Horry County over the weekend.

A police report obtained Tuesday by WMBF News states that an officer with the Horry County Police Department was called to the Surfside Beach area on Saturday around 6:30 p.m.

According to the report, a teenage victim said he and some friends were at the basketball court in the Southbay Lake Community when a male suspect approached them “in an aggressive manner” and began using racial slurs. The suspect then allegedly attacked the victim.

The victim told police that he was not sure what provoked the suspect, but said that some “unknown children were following him and his friends and were joking with these children” before the attack occurred.

The officer states in the report that it is believed the suspect was upset by the banter between the victim, his party and the other group.

The report also notes that there was video of the incident in which a woman's voice can also be heard using racial slurs. The footage also reportedly showed the suspect rushing toward the victim, grabbing him by the shirt and punching him on the left side of his head and neck. A woman who was reportedly with the suspect was also seen intervening and pushing the suspect away.

Police noted that the victim had no visible signs of injury, but his shirt was torn from the altercation.

As of Tuesday, the suspect had not been identified or located. He was described in the report as a tall man who was wearing jeans, a Dallas Cowboys T-shirt and brown boots at the time of the crime.

WMBF News has reached out to Horry County Police for more information on the investigation.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

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