A Clover, South Carolina, man is facing serious criminal charges, including hate intimidation, after Myrtle Beach police say he fired shots outside an LGBTQ nightclub, Pulse Ultra Club, on South Kings Highway on April 1.
What happened at Pulse Ultra Club
- Officers responded just before 11 a.m. to the 2700 block of South Kings Highway after reports of a weapon discharge outside Pulse Ultra Club, a long‑standing LGBTQ venue.
- Club owner Ken Phillips said he discovered his SUV’s back window and windshield shattered by bullets when he went to leave; an SUV with blue plastic over a damaged window was left at the scene.
- No injuries were reported, and police later stopped a vehicle matching the description and detained the suspect.
Who is being charged and what for
- Timothy James Truett Jr., 37, of Clover, has been charged with hate intimidation, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, firing a firearm within city limits, and property damage.
- This is the first time someone has been charged under Myrtle Beach’s local hate‑intimidation ordinance, which the city adopted in April 2024.
- Truett is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on bond exceeding $310,000, with a bail hearing set for April 10 and further court dates likely to follow.
Owner’s reaction and next steps
- Phillips described the incident as frightening and said he was still trying to process why it occurred, while emphasizing the importance of the club as a safe space for the LGBTQ community.
- Myrtle Beach police have asked anyone with additional information to call their non‑emergency line at 843‑918‑1382 and say the investigation remains active.
This case has drawn attention both as a violent crime and as a potential hate‑motivated attack on an LGBTQ venue, making it a significant local‑safety and civil‑rights issue.
