South Carolina authorities successfully detained an attempted murder suspect after a woman mouthed “help me” during a traffic stop, according to a social media post from Wednesday.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department (MBPD) said Officer Kayla Wallace was conducting patrols on May 28 at approximately 5:30 a.m. when she witnessed a white Jeep running a red light at an intersection, MBPD wrote in a Facebook post. After pulling over the vehicle, Wallace noticed that the male passenger appeared visibly distressed and saw the female driver repeatedly mouthed the words “help me” while the passenger wasn’t looking.
Wallace promptly removed the male passenger from the car and secured him in her patrol vehicle. The female driver informed Wallace that the male passenger had recently shot someone, per the Facebook post. The post also noted that a police dispatch was issued moments later, alerting MBPD to be on the lookout for a white Jeep. The subject description provided also matched the male passenger. (RELATED: 1-Year-Old Shot Twice In Shoulder And Cheek By 6-Year-Old Brother)
The suspect was detained and is now facing charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. The MBPD also discovered a pistol concealed under the seat.
“Due to Officer Wallace proactively patrolling the streets of North Myrtle Beach, even to the last 30 minutes of her shift, a suspect in a shooting was arrested and an unlawfully carried pistol was recovered underneath the suspect’s seat,” MBPD wrote. “Our department and our community is lucky to have Officer Wallace. Great Job!”