South Carolina Officer Dies in Vehicle Collision, First in Department’s History

North Myrtle Beach, SC – North Myrtle Beach Public Safety Sergeant Gordon William Best was killed Thursday night in a vehicle collision, police say.

Reportedly, 30-year-old Sergeant Best was responding to a call of shots fired at the Barefoot Resort. While en route, the sergeant lost control of the vehicle due to the wet roads. The vehicle collided into a pole and Sergeant Best was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sergeant Best joined the department on October 21, 2013, and was promoted to Sergeant on February 17, 2019. He is the first officer to lose his life in the line of duty in the department’s history.

North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley said, “We have been fortunate over the years this has not happened in our community whatsoever while they were on duty. It speaks volumes for the department and today is just a tragic day, just a very very tragic day.

“Sergeant Best was no stranger to the City of North Myrtle Beach. Many of us have known him here since he was a little boy, because his mother and father worked for the North Myrtle Beach Public Safety Department.”

Chief Tommy Dennis said Sergeant Best was motivated and a “happy person with a great love for his team.” He said, “I told him I saw him as someone that was a rising star so we’ve got a great loss here in our department.”

Sergeant Best was married with two young children.

Police said the shots fired call was still under investigation.