4 charged as Isle of Palms police increase presence on ‘Senior Skip Day’

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCBD) –  ‘Senior Skip Day’ has returned once again, and officers on the Isle of Palms are increasing their presence in an effort to curb criminal activity.

Police said that four people, three adults, and one minor, were arrested and charged Friday afternoon.

The charges included possession of marijuana, possession of a machine gun, unlawful carrying of a pistol, simple possession of marijuana, and minor possession of alcohol.

Hundreds of kids began coming to the beach about noon on Friday. Around 4 p.m. a large group was asked to leave. According to officials, the group did not have a permit for such a large gathering and faced a $1000 fine.

The increased presence stems from a shooting that occurred in 2022, where five people were injured.

On April 7th, 2023, hundreds of teens were on the Isle of Palms for a ‘Senior Skip Day’ celebration. A fight broke out and shots were fired injuring five people and leading to chaos on the island. Police have implemented new protocols to ensure that never happens again

“Nobody lost their lives thankfully but, on that day, Chief Cornett vowed to never let that happen out here again and he takes that very seriously, so anytime we have intelligence that a senior skip day or big event might happen we’re going to have increased police presence and be vigilant,” said Sgt. Matt Storen with the Isle of Palms Police.

Isle of Palms Police and Fire are patrolling the island along with their partners the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the North Charleston Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch.

“It makes me feel this sense of comfort that I know in case anything happens there always someone to come rescue or protect us in the event of a tragedy,” said Raylon Godfrey, a high school senior.

Police have also shut down 14th Avenue and closed half of a municipal parking lot to limit the crowds.

Isle of Palms Police say they rely heavily on the community, and they’re reminding everyone to report any suspicious activity

“If they see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, please do not hesitate to call 9-1-1 or flag one of the officers down they’re going to be out on the beach in the coming weeks and into the summer months,” said Storen.

Increased law enforcement will be out on the island all next week for spring break.