Hilton Head leaders propose juvenile curfew, code‑enforcement changes after Coligny Beach shooting

Mayor Perry opened a special council session on July 9, saying the meeting would focus on “community safety following recent incidents on Hilton Head Island, Coligny Park, and . . . other beach areas.” The council heard a sheriff’s presentation and extensive public comment before directing staff to move quickly on several actions.

Town Manager Mark Orlando summarized the town’s public‑safety investments, including beach cameras and a Flock license‑plate reader program paid from local budget lines that Orlando said amount to roughly $2.4 million for the town public safety department and—combined with Beaufort County services—more than $9.4 million spent this fiscal year on public safety.

Beaufort County Sheriff Tanner described law‑enforcement operations and the July 4 response to the Coligny Beach shooting. "We have a call at 08:21PM of a shooting at the public beach access. Officers were there in 17 seconds," Tanner said, and he outlined that multiple deputies, state troopers and DNR units were deployed and that body‑camera and fixed camera footage are part of an ongoing investigation. Tanner told the council his office had detained and arrested multiple people within minutes and that arraignments and further prosecutorial work were underway.

The sheriff and his advisers urged a mix of short‑ and longer‑term steps. The primary near‑term recommendation the sheriff proposed is a juvenile curfew targeted to hotspot areas: "we recommend that the juvenile curfew begin at 08:00 at night for any unaccompanied minor," one adviser said, adding that exceptions would be written for work or emergencies. Tanner also recommended strengthening the town’s codes‑enforcement and community‑resource functions (personnel who handle nuisance, short‑term‑rental and parking problems), expanding lighting and camera coverage in key public spaces, and expediting a planned south‑end substation footprint in Caligny/Coligny Plaza.

Council members pressed for specifics about beach patrol and resource levels. Several speakers noted the sheriff’s claim that roughly 28 officers were deployed on the South End during the period around the incident, and asked whether the town’s annual user fee paid to Beaufort County—projected to be about $6.9 million for fiscal year 2027—was clearly tied to additional saturation or to base county patrol responsibility. Tanner said his office deploys by intelligence and need and that the user fee was established by Beaufort County; he added that an MOU is required so deputies can enforce municipal ordinances.

Residents who spoke during public comment urged rapid action. Some praised the sheriff’s response and the value of camera technology in identifying suspects; others urged a permanent municipal police force, tighter parking controls at Coligny, more on‑the‑ground presence and stronger prevention programs for youth. "This is bigger than one shooting," said Paige Cope, a longtime resident, and Krista Flanders, who grew up on the island, urged more addiction treatment and youth outreach alongside enforcement.

After hearing officers, staff and more than two dozen members of the public, the council identified immediate next steps. Council members and the mayor asked the town attorney to draft a juvenile curfew ordinance, directed the town manager to scope and cost enhancements to codes enforcement and beach patrol options (including use of drones and a beach operations center), and requested a renewed MOU framework with the sheriff that would clarify expectations and performance metrics tied to the law‑enforcement fee. Council discussion included a 30‑day target for a curfew ordinance to be brought back for consideration.

Town Manager Orlando said the Caligny safety assessment and related operational work are already underway, and he asked for time to coordinate with the sheriff’s office on detailed cost and implementation timelines. Councilmembers also agreed to put follow‑up public‑safety items on the July 14 agenda for continued action.

The meeting closed with a recognition that the work will be multi‑pronged: enforcement and rapid response where needed, clearer contractual expectations with Beaufort County, and investment in prevention and community resources to reduce the underlying conditions that led to the July 4 incident.