Myrtle Beach police have suspect in deadly beach shooting of Virginia teenager

A person is in custody in connection with the deadly shooting of a Virginia teen visiting Myrtle Beach, police said.

Myrtle Beach Police announced on its Facebook page that a suspect was taken into custody at 4:19 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2024.

The suspect’s name has not been released and formal charges have not been filed in the case, the post said.

Jakolbi Taylor, of Roanoke, Virginia, was shot near the 16th Avenue North beach access point around 1:15 a.m. on July 20, 2024. He died on the scene, according to the Horry County Coroner’s Office.

Details about the shooting have not been released.

The 16-year-old was in town for a basketball tournament. Jakolbi, a rising junior, was playing in a national basketball tournament in Myrtle Beach that weekend.

J akolbi was an honor student and avid basketball player, according to a Facebook post from his aunt Briana Taylor.

His grandmother, Paula Basham, posted a video on Facebook where she said Jakolbi “bumped into somebody or something and some words were exchanged.” The exchange resulted in Jakolbi being shot.

The teen’s funeral was on Saturday in Virginia.